History
by MegaKat
Summary: Growing up as a palace playmate, Usagi was never treated kindly. Except by her brothers, Tarble and Vegeta. She is sent off-world with Tarble at thirteen, just before the Saiyan Genocide, and is stranded there for fifteen years, until a wish on the dragon balls brings Vegeta-sai back. Reviews make me write faster, yall! Re-rated to M for obvious reasons. :)
1. Chapter 1

**Alrighty! A new fic from yours truly! This fic so far is over 70k words long, I'm working on it diligently, and I may or may not bump the rating up to M later on, depending on my Muse and how smutty she wants me to get. There is foul language in here, but nothing I wasn't saying at 14, so I'm not too worried about it. BUT, if you don't like language and some mild sexual situations, then I strongly suggest that you fuck off! **

** Also, this is a VERY long story! So if you're looking for some romantic resolution in the first couple of chapters, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE! But I promise you, the ride will well be worth it, so jump on the short bus with me if you're feeling brave!**

** Thirdly, HUGE friggin mucho thanks to Ana Frost, who is just AWESOME. She read over 50k words in two days, gave me opinions and ideas, and is just AWESOME! Thanks to Topaz Dragon as well, who also let me bounce some ideas off of her, and never bitches when I call her and bother her with storylines! I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH! *HUG***

Toma shook her head and hid a smile when her mate scowled at the sight of their brats curled up tightly together. "They're just infants, Majesty; I see nothing wrong with it."

Vegeta shook his head and glared at his queen. "No, woman. I accepted your daughter into my household because I care for you, but this is unacceptable. The only companions of a Saiyan warrior are other Saiyan warriors." He reached into the crib and scooped up his son, only for the male brat to cling tightly to his sleeping companion. So tightly that King Vegeta was lifting them both into the air. "What the hell is this?"

Toma merely shook her head again and continued to hide her smile. "I tried to tell you, beloved, but this is what happened when I went to take Prince Vegeta back to his room." Her eyes sparkled when the prince snarled at his father when he tried to pull them apart, and only clung tighter to the blonde female.

"My son should not be this attached to a second-class half-breed female. What happens when they're older, Toma? This will not end well."

She sighed and took the bundle of tangled up Saiyan brats from her mate, placing them back in the crib. Both of them cooed and only held each other tighter. "Raise them as brother and sister. Afterall, they'll share a baby brother in nearly six months."

King Vegeta's face lit up a bit at that statement, and his hand went out to caress her flat belly. "Yes, I suppose it would not be a scandal if they're raised as siblings. Your Usagi will be a playmate for the royal princes. _Not_ a princess, though. Not in name, anyhow. But she can be raised as one, and possibly mated with one of the Saiyan Elite when she comes of age."

Toma kissed him affectionately, running her fingers through the fur of his tail. Such a thing was a very high honor for any female, let alone the half-breed daughter from her first pair-bonding. Usagi would be a beautiful woman, there was no doubt, but her ki level was low, even for a second-class warrior. The only thing that kept her from being classified as third-class was her mother's rank and social status.

She tucked a blanket around both of the infants and chuckled when the crown prince growled at her invasion of his personal space. Or maybe he just thought someone was going to try and separate the two of them again.

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"Gee-Gee!"

The crown prince turned just in time to catch the bundle of blonde as she launched herself at him, kicking and punching and giggling her head off. He easily countered all of her blows, but unlike his other sparring partners, he always took care never to hit her back. The one time he'd done so, when they'd started their training a few months ago at the age of four, she'd cried so hard he'd been convinced he'd nearly killed her.

Usagi hadn't cried because he'd hurt her, she'd cried because _he'd_ hit her. Vegeta had never hit her in all of their lives, and something in her couldn't comprehend that they were training, not playing. She was just too naïve, too innocent, to understand.

So Prince Vegeta had remained her sparring partner whenever she was in the ring, despite the cold glare from his teacher, Nappa, and the jeering from the Saiyan Elite. He endured it all simply to keep her from getting hurt, the little light of his life, the only true friend he'd ever had.

He flared his ki, pulsing it in a way to signal her to stop, and she hovered above him like a bumblebee, her silver ki glowing around her like a halo. Gee-Gee rose up to poke her chest, right over the mark of the royal family that was stamped into her armor. "Father approved that?"

"Uh-huh!" She cried in excitement. "It's so pretty, it matches my hair!"

Vegeta snorted and rolled his eyes. "You're such a _girl,_ Usa."

"Am not!"

"Are too. You're excited about the stamp being gold. You're not excited about the fact that Father's letting you actually wear armor. I'd be a lot more excited about that… even if the armor's purple." He wrinkled his nose at the color, much preferring the royal colors of red or blue.

"Oh, I'm excited about that, too, Gee-Gee! I just thought it was awesome that we matched!" She jumped on him again, hugging him tightly. She was completely oblivious to the snickers and snide remarks directed at the crown prince. If she had known, she would have likely yelled at them all and cried her eyes out.

Vegeta flushed, both with embarrassment and with pleasure. If Usagi was hugging him, all was right with the world; he just wished to the gods that she wouldn't do it on the training field. "Come on, girl," he grunted. "Your flying still sucks, we need to work on it."

"Yeah, Gee-Gee, go teach your little girlfriend how to fly, and leave the sparring to the men!"

Usagi spun immediately, her blue eyes flaring with righteous anger. "Shut up, Raditz! I'm _not _his girlfriend! You're just mad because you smell so damned bad that no girls will even come near you!" She yelled, flinging a pitiful ki blast at his head without even thinking.

The ki ball was easily deflected, and opened up a small hole in the ground where it landed. "You're not even a Saiyan," the spikey-haired boy snorted. "And you fight like a girl."

"At least I don't smell like a Saibaman," she retorted. "Go wash your nasty ass, Radu."

"At least she swears like a Saiyan," Nappa chuckled. He found the girl child annoying most of the time, but her verbal sparring with the other brats more than made up for her lack of combat skills. At least she was entertaining.

Usagi's eyes widened and she crossed her arms over her chest, erecting a weak ki shield. It was no match for the blast that Raditz was aiming at her, but she knew it was coming when she'd seen his jaw jump; she'd gotten to him, as was her intention. No one teased Gee-Gee. Unless it was her, of course.

Vegeta snarled with rage and immediately leapt in front of Usagi, catching the ki blast as it flew at her, and whipping it right back at its owner. He smirked and folded his arms over his chest when Raditz took his own energy right in the gut and went flying back, his armor cracked in several places. "Who fights like a girl?" He snorted in contempt. "Third-class weakling." His eyes twinkled with amusement when his step-sister blinked at him in surprise; she had been ready to take the hit despite her low power level. "Shall we? I won't have you bobbing up and down in the air like that. It's embarrassing."

Grinning ear to ear, she nodded emphatically, and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thank you, Gee-Gee," she whispered in his ear.

"Feh. Don't worry about it. Now get off of me. You're a warrior, and warriors don't hug other warriors." He sighed in exasperation when she only hugged him tighter and giggled. Oh well, at least none of the other brats in their squad knew about them still sharing a bed at the ripe old age of four. _That _would be the death of him, if anyone ever found out about Usagi's nighttime ventures into his room, just to snuggle up against him. "Ugh, girls."

Once they made it out into the desert a little way, the crown prince smirked at her, and Usagi's eyes widened in something close to fear. She knew what was coming. "No, Gee-Gee!" She yelled, bobbing into the air, summoning up as much of her ki as she could to get some speed. "Don't! Please don't!"

Vegeta laughed and easily caught her by the ankle with one hand, while the other went straight for the back of her knee. "Say it, Usa! Say it!"

"Nuh-nuh-noooooo!" Usagi laughed, wiggling around in the air as he mercilessly tickled her. "Lemme go, Gee-Gee, please!"

Laughing evilly in a miniature imitation of his father, he drug her to the ground and moved to her ribs and sides, making her laugh even harder and squeal loudly as she continued to beg him to let her go. "Say it, Usa!"

"Pleeeease Gee-Gee! I—I—I'm gonna peeeee!"

"Then you'd better say it fast before I make you piss yourself!" He cackled.

Damn it, she really did have to pee, and he was only tickling her harder now, making her laugh so hard that she was crying a little. "I—I bow—b—before-hahahaha! Please Gee-Gee! I—I can't say it if you keep—" Usagi let out a sudden rush of air when he stopped tickling her, and found herself looking up into the grinning face of a warrior in training.

"You were saying, girl?" Vegeta asked expectantly.

Taking another deep breath and trying not to giggle, Usagi finally spoke. "I bow before the King of the Saiyans. I'm not worthy of his presence. He is awesome! I eat mud and smell like a Saibaman!"

He snorted after a moment, clearly not satisfied. "_All_ of it, girl. Or I yank that armor up and get you under your arms."

"Gods, no!" Usagi laughed. "If you do, I really will pee myself! Ok, ok! I love Gee-Gee with all of my heart, with whipped cream and strawberries on top, and I will worship my prince forever!"

"Much better!" Vegeta cried triumphantly, yanking her to her feet. "Now. Let's fly." He pointed at a bush as an afterthought. "Go pee first," he advised. "Because I think I'm going to have to tickle the shit out of you again before this is all over."

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"Bring it, pretty boy."

Pushing his ki down to her level, Vegeta flew at her so quickly that she barely had a chance to keep up with him. They weren't babies anymore, but he still couldn't bring himself to hit her with full force whenever she left an opening. Usagi had to learn sometime that she was going to get creamed if she didn't improve her fighting style, and Vegeta would rather be the one hitting her, despite the fact that he inwardly cringed at every little bruise he inflicted, no matter how small. At least it was him, and not Nappa. Nappa would beat the shit out of her; he'd done it once before, and the crown prince would take the beating in her place before he ever let it happen again.

She was too pure, too perfect, and too innocent to be subjected to such violence. Even if she was half-Saiyan.

After sparring, they both stripped down, showered, and changed, just as they always had. Together. Vegeta couldn't help the growl that emitted from him when the other brats in their squad looked at her. Yes, they were children, but lately a lot of the other boys had been glancing at her with hints of interest, and that did not sit well with him at all.

Their squad mates quickly looked away the moment he caught them looking, a feral glint in his eyes. He subtly positioned himself under the spray in such a way that most of her was shielded from view, and finally allowed himself to relax under the hot water so he could wash his thick, untamable hair. He helped Usagi wash hers when he was finished, since it would otherwise take her forever on her own. Those golden locks came to her knees now, and it was getting more and more difficult for her to keep it pinned up during training. She still stubbornly refused to cut it, though, and Vegeta was secretly pleased that she kept it long. Gods, she was going to be a vision by the time she was sixteen, which was when he planned on claiming her.

He'd expressed that wish to his father only a year before, and while it hadn't gone over well, the crown prince always got what he wanted. Usagi would be his one day, whether his father liked it or not, damn it.

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"Gee-Gee, your father's going to beat you black and blue if you keep sneaking in here," Usagi teased lightly. The softness and gratitude in her smile reached all the way to her eyes when she turned to face him and snuggled tightly into his chest.

They both sighed in contentment; Usagi couldn't sleep without someone in the bed with her, and had managed only three hours a night after the king had forbidden her from ever again sharing the crown prince's bed. Never mind that they'd only been sleeping together for the last nine years, ever since they'd been infants.

Her training had suffered, and she'd been punished severely by Nappa for dozing off on her feet one morning. The next time it had happened, Vegeta had taken the beating for her, and she had ignored the risk of punishment that night to sneak into his room to heal him.

That was their little secret. The only other person who knew was Tarble, the brother that they shared. And recently, Raditz, who had started out years ago as a bully and mutual enemy, but had suddenly become a friend when he'd defended Usagi in the city against some older brats. In her gratitude, Usagi had healed his cuts and bruises, pleading gently with him not to breathe a word about her odd gift.

She couldn't fight for shit by Saiyan standards, but she could damn near bring someone back from the brink of death. At least _something _about her was useful, she'd mused to Vegeta on more than one occasion.

Feeling her shiver, Vegeta pulled the covers up around her tighter and wrapped his tail around her, using his ki to warm her. "The old man won't do shit," he snorted in contempt. "I passed his power level months ago." But that didn't mean the king wouldn't try and punish Usagi for his son's disobedience. He frowned at that thought, it was the only reason he'd been so careful not to let anyone find out about his nightly forays into her room.

"Just be careful, Geta," she whispered tenderly. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. It would break my heart."

"Feh, you're such a fucking _girl,_" he groaned. "Go to sleep."

With that, the little bundle of blonde hair yawned and kissed his cheek. "Night, Geta. Love you."

The prince rolled his eyes at that word; gods, she was such a girl! But she was going to be his mate one day, when they grew up. He supposed he'd have to just accept that annoying little quality about her. As soon as he knew she was fast asleep, he snuck a quick kiss, blushing all the way to his ears. Thank the gods she'd been asleep for that, she would have teased him to no end about it for the rest of the week.

##############

He flew to her balcony and tapped on the glass, tempted to pound on it when she didn't answer. "Usa, open up!" He shouted, knowing damn well she could hear him through the open window a few feet over. Vegeta growled in impatience and simply flew through that window when she still wouldn't answer him.

"Usa?" The prince scowled, looking very much like his father, and cast around in search of her ki signature. His eyes widened in alarm when he found it unusually low, even for a sissy like her, and he sped with all haste to the bathroom door. "Usagi, are you alright!?"

"I'm fine."

The meekness in her voice was completely unlike her. Normally she would have yelled at him to piss off and leave her alone while she was trying to pee, but she sounded almost… embarrassed. "Why aren't you outside in the ring? Nappa's going to sling you down by your braid if you don't get your ass out there right now. Shit, he may do it anyway," he snickered.

"Go away, Geta." The tears in her voice were unmistakable.

Ok, now he really _was_ worried, but only the way his jaw twitched would have betrayed it to anyone that knew him. He'd learned how to school his features like all of the other Saiyan warriors, despite Usagi's constant abhorrence of that particular tradition. "Tell me what's going on, or I'm opening this door, Usa," he ordered.

"Geta, no!" She cried out indignantly. "Don't! I'm—gods, just go outside and spar, and I'll see you in a couple of days, ok!?"

Alright, there was no mistaking the embarrassment in her voice that time. "What, girl? Did you grow tits overnight or something?" He teased. "Because I recall you being just as flat chested as ever when I crawled into bed with you." He immediately wished he could take the words back when he heard her sob. "Usa?"

Vegeta cracked the door open carefully, prepared to take a blow to the skull, but only found his friend curled up, sitting on the edge of her spacious bathtub. "Usagi, I didn't mean to—" His eyes immediately went wide when he smelled the change in her scent. "Oh. _Oh."_

The blonde blushed brightly when she looked up at him. "That's right, you insufferable prick. I'm a girl now, so go ahead and poke fun at me or whatever."

Vegeta eyed her carefully before snorting and rolling his eyes. "You're not a girl, you stupid brat. You're a warrior. Girls have tits, and you don't. You're just bleeding a little; it's not like you don't bleed everyday as it is, with the way you fight." He knew he'd said the right thing when her crying eased back a little and she tried to give him a watery smile.

"At least I don't hit like a girl," she managed.

He laughed at that before scooping her up and carrying her to her bed. "Yes the fuck you do. But we'll work on it. You're getting a little stronger every time you fight that third-class jackass, I can tell. Now get some rest, and I'll see you on the training field in a few days."

Usagi pulled him down for a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You're the best, Geta. Thank you."

"Feh. Just don't expect me to sneak in here to sleep when you're… you know." Vegeta blushed at that and shook his head. Damn girl.

"What?" Usagi grinned devilishly, her tail waving in the air as she proceeded to tease him. "Is the great Saiyan prince scared of… blood?"

"Just _that_ blood," he replied with a disgusted tone. "Besides, it wouldn't be proper." He didn't know how he knew that, but with her bleeding, she suddenly didn't seem so much like a child anymore. Which made him feel like one.

"Proper?" She snickered. "You're my brother, you retard."

"Not. Your. Brother." How many fucking times did they have to have this argument? Vegeta secretly suspected that she only said things like that to get under his skin, since she found his temper "cute." Damn it, he was a Saiyan prince, he was _not _cute!

"Whatever you say, Geta." That laugh of hers was gone, but Usagi still wore a smug smirk, knowing she'd successfully annoyed him. Just like a little sister should.

"Fucking girls," he muttered, but he still gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze before flying out of her window to return to his early morning warmups.

################

"Usa?"

The twelve year old blonde murmured something in her sleep and only snuggled closer to him, comforted by his warmth and the skin-to-skin contact.

Vegeta sighed, and stroked his hand down her jawline. Guilt washed through him as he shook her a little bit in order to wake her. He couldn't not wake her up; he had to say goodbye to the only person he'd ever truly cared about. "Usa," he whispered.

"Geta?" Blue eyes blinked up at him as she just barely made his face out in the dark. "What's wrong?" She asked slowly, steeling herself for the worst. Vegeta wouldn't be waking her unless it was something downright serious, and the set of his jaw only confirmed her fears.

"I'm leaving in the morning. Father has sworn my service to Frieza."

Usagi could only gape at him in horror as her eyes welled up with tears. No. No. No. This wasn't real. It was some ridiculously horrible nightmare, and she was going to wake up from it any moment. There had been rumors as of late, but… no.

Gods, she was going into shock. Vegeta pulled her tightly against his chest and used his ki to warm her, shivering at the feel of her ice-cold skin against his body. "It'll be alright, Usa. I've been conscripted for only three years. That's nothing compared to what other warriors have to endure. Raditz got seven."

Raditz, too? What next? A noise finally came out of her mouth, something that sounded like a cross between a whimper and a sob.

As if reading her thoughts, he scowled and hugged her closer, wrapping his tail around hers and running his hands up and down her bare back in a soothing motion. "Nappa, too. Father insisted that he come with me to watch my back. Don't worry about Raditz, either. His father's going with him, and between myself and Bardock, no one will fuck with him."

Usagi couldn't even form words as the tears finally came, spilling out onto his shoulder. The dam fully broke when he tried to hush her, and she was suddenly sobbing uncontrollably, her breath hitching as she tried her hardest not to scream and wail out in her anguish.

Vegeta would never admit it, but a few of his own tears leaked out into her hair, a product of seeing and hearing her in so much emotional agony. "It's only three years, Usagi," he finally choked out an hour later, once her crying had lost that terrifying violent edge to it. "I'll try and sneak off to contact you on my scouter whenever I can," he added, when she only cried harder. "I know they let Bardock call his mate and brats on occasion the last time he was conscripted."

She was only able to nod weakly, her arms tightening their hold around him. "I love you, Geta," she whispered, so softly that he barely heard it, even with his superior hearing.

Gods, if only she knew why he'd agreed… "You too," he managed, unable to say that word, even as a child… even if he felt it. He opened his mouth to say more, but she cut him off with a kiss, and he was more than happy to return it, a simple pressing of lips. He only wished that they were a little older, so that it might not be such an innocent gesture on her part.

A little older… gods, they'd be fifteen when he returned. Would she welcome him back with a kiss, too? Despite her grief, he found himself sighing happily at the thought. He'd be a warrior at fifteen, and she'd nearly be a woman. They would lose these three years, yes. That was two years he would lose to court her, once they turned thirteen, but he would still have an entire year upon his return to make up for it before they turned sixteen and he could claim her as his mate.

Usagi's thoughts weren't even close to what he was thinking. She was only concerned for the man her brother would become under Frieza's command. "Don't let them break you," she choked out. "Don't let them make you cold, Geta. I've—" She fought not to sob again, and swallowed down the fresh tears that were welling up. "I've seen warriors come back from their time with that bastard, and many of them aren't the same. You—you have a kind heart. Don't let them kill that part of you, Vegeta."

"I won't," he vowed. They could kill whatever softness he had inside of him, except for what he felt for her. That was all that mattered to him, anyway. "You stay safe while I'm gone. Sleep with Tarble at night; I've already spoken with Father, and he won't forbid you from it. With Nappa gone, Father will take over yours and Tarble's training until a new commander can be found. Listen to everything the old man tells you, Usagi. He's a great warrior, and he'll teach you well."

"I will, Geta." Unable to stop herself, she tugged him back against her when he tried to slip out of her bed. "No. Stay with me."

With a heavy sigh, he wrapped his tail around hers again and cradled her to his chest. He still had things to pack before his departure after breakfast, but there wasn't a chance in hell he could deny her what comfort he could give. "Sleep, Usa. I'll still be here when you wake."

Vegeta eventually slept as well, and was woken by the feel of a heavy hand on his shoulder. Still half in dreamland, he instinctively snarled at whoever had the gall to disturb him while he was curled around his future mate.

A soft chuckle came from behind him. "I knew I'd find you here. I have to admit, she's quite the vision now, at only twelve. I can only imagine her beauty in a few more years." The king smirked a little when his son buried his face possessively in the girl's hair. "She'll be waiting for you, I swear it."

"I know, Father." Vegeta lightly nipped at her shoulder, and kissed her forehead when she purred a little in her sleep. "I expect you to beat the shit out of anyone that tries to court her, too."

King Vegeta laughed a little at that, and shook his head. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that, brat. She's yours, she just doesn't know it yet. The two of you have been imprinted on each other since you were infants, and as much as I tried to keep that from happening, I see now that I couldn't stop it." He removed the hand that was still resting on his oldest son's shoulder, and looked towards the door. "I'm heading down for the morning meal."

"Fuck." It was that late already? "I'll wake her in a moment, Father."

The king nodded in understanding. He'd let the boy enjoy his last moments with his beloved while he could. He was a child now, and he wouldn't deny him the very final minutes of childhood he could spend with Usagi. Because when his son returned, he would be a man, and the gods help that little bundle of blonde Saiyan when the prince came home.

At least it would be entertaining to watch her dodge his interest, the king thought with a grin.

**And first, a shameless plug from your author! For those of yall that like storylines of the M nature, I have a fic called the Golden Stranger, which is an Usa/Trunks pairing, and is nearly finished! I have one last chapter to write; the ending, and then a few epilogues, once for each girl, pretty much. Yeah, Ana conned me into it… x_X **

**And please remember yall, ALL authors on this site work VERY hard on their stories, so even if you hate it, leave a review! Any comment at all is welcome, and I always appreciate one, even if it's just a couple of words! A few moments of your time can absolutely make us smile!**

**Ok, for those of you that are going to stick with this fic, this is basically just backstory to get things going. Everyone's going to be an adult in the next chapter, but it's going to be a very long time before this fic is finally over. And if you haven't figured out the obvious pairing by now, I'll slap you with a herring!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, I couldn't wait. It's a little shorter than I would have liked, but I cut it off in an ideal place to begin chapter three. Which as yall know, is already written. I just couldn't in good conscience post ONE chapter, I always love it when authors post two back to back to give us a little more of the story so we can figure out what's going on. Well, here it is, yall! Please review, since reviews make my day!**

Vegeta moved against the golden-haired woman lying next to him, wrapping his tail around her possessively as he woke, and then snapped wide awake in surprise. His tail was gone! Where was his—

Oh.

The prince blinked, looking down at the empty space beside him. Regret flickered in his eyes for a moment, followed by sadness and nostalgia. Kami, he could have _sworn_ she was there! He'd felt her, warm and real, lying beside him, only for her to disappear once he'd fully wakened. "Usa." He said her name so softly that he might not have heard it himself if he hadn't been Saiyan.

He must have dreamed it, that was the only explanation. But he hadn't dreamed about her so vividly in… not since he'd been in service to Frieza. That purple little freak. He'd ruined everything.

Was she even still alive? His scouter had confirmed that only six months ago, back on Namek, and he'd been sorely tempted to abandon his search for the dragonballs in order to hunt her down. But without the coordinates to the planet his father had sent her and his brother, Tarble, it would have been like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Looking down at the empty spot on the bed, he brushed his hand against the comforter, only to find it cold. It had been a dream, then. A ridiculously real dream, but a dream nonetheless. And it was the first one since he'd turned fifteen that hadn't been of a sexual nature. He'd simply held her in her sleep, like he had when they'd been brats, and nothing more. The prince had warmed her with his ki when the nighttime temperatures had dropped, and had shivered with secret pleasure when Usagi's tail entwined with his.

Vegeta sighed a little wistfully, glad that that third-class clown wasn't around to witness the action. Kakarot would have questioned it for sure, still on his stupid quest to prove to everyone, even Vegeta himself, that there was good in him.

And there wasn't. The only good in him was somewhere out there, at least a week's travel from Vegeta-sai, which he knew had reappeared after that baka's stupid wish.

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"Just focus, Usa."

The blonde slumped back to the ground, eyes closed, trying to clear her mind. "I'm trying, Gure, it's not easy!"

"Yes, it is, you've done this a million times, Usagi. Just relax and stop thinking for a few minutes," she replied with amusement. "Or is the great Saiyan incapable of doing something that a weakling like I can do easily?"

Usagi growled and rolled her eyes. "I really hate it when you say shit like that, Gure."

The tiny little alien giggled. "I only do it to get a rise out of you, sister. Now, close your eyes and concentrate," she chuckled.

"Fine." Usagi did as she was told, trying to clear her mind of anything and everything, but yet again, her thoughts from the last week were interfering.

Only seven days ago, something had happened. Something was different, but Usagi still had yet to figure out what it was. She felt… anticipation. And fear. And joy. Not to mention those intense dreams… she hadn't had those since she was a hormonal teenager. "But _why_, damn it?" She snarled to herself in Saiyan. "What's different?"

Gure shook her little round head and sighed. Usagi hadn't been able to concentrate on anything for days, except for training in her more violent heritage. She'd been completely unable to focus on healing anything, or meditation, which she'd been doing quite well in up until a week prior. "Take a break, sister. Go blow something up. I know how it makes you feel better."

The blonde Saiyan sighed and nodded. "Thanks, Gure. I'm sorry… I don't know what's wrong with me lately. It's like the Saiyan in me is in overdrive or something. I just want to fuck shit up."

Gure blinked, and looked at her sister for a moment with a touch of sympathy. "Have you checked your scouter? Maybe you're going through some sort of hormonal thing, like you did at sixteen." She shuddered at the memory of a sixteen-year-old Usagi, bouncing back and forth between a bubblier-than-normal self, and that terrifying Saiyan rage that she so rarely displayed. They'd all walked on eggshells around her for months during that time. "The encyclopedia in your scouter might be able to tell you something."

She shrugged. "I'll check, but I highly doubt that I'm going through anything at the ripe old age of twenty-eight." Usagi stood, and without another word, she blasted off for home, but found herself distracted by a mountain in the distance. Maybe blowing something up _would _make her feel a little better, she thought with a grin.

The Saiyan made quite sure that the mountain was just an uninhabited rock before powering up to her full strength, relishing in the sensation of her ki burning her skin. Gods, how long had it been since she'd done this, felt this much power coursing through her veins? It was a heady, wonderful, addictive sensation.

Gods, if only Geta could see her now, in all her Saiyan glory.

She raised her hands above her head, crying out as she gathered a massive amount of ki between her fingers. "UMBRA BLAST!"

The sky lit up brightly, the silver light so strong that it even overwhelmed the intense sunlight of Gure's homeworld. And when it cleared, the mountain was gone. Not even chunks or pebbles left in Usagi's wake. Just gone. "Ah, I feel better now," she sighed happily, floating on her back in the air. "Good thing I didn't use an Antumbra, I may have taken out the whole damned planet," she chuckled.

Usagi finally headed for home, now that her lust for battle was sated, and she gave a distracted wave to her brother Tarble as she went to her room and dug through her trunk.

Usagi let out a sigh when she found it, one of nostalgia and a longing for home. Gods, it was covered in dust. She fingered the glyph on it lovingly, the Saiyan symbol for rabbit, before brushing it off and putting it on. "Scouter, power on," she said softly in Saiyan. "Encyclopedia please. Saiyan hormones, female… what the fuck is that?"

A blinking light was going off in the top right corner of her viewfinder, indicating that she had… but no, that was impossible, wasn't it? "Show inbox?" She asked, almost timidly.

Tarble slammed the bedroom door open when he heard a piecing scream from his sister's room, and took a fighting stance, looking for any danger. "What's wrong, Usa!?" He looked around sharply, his Saiyan instincts kicking into high gear, but there didn't seem to be any danger. Yet his sister was kneeling on the floor, shaking, tears streaming down her face. And Usagi almost never cried, due to her self-imposed responsibility to remain strong for the both of them as children. "Usa?"

Usagi shook her head, and gave her brother a watery smile. "Get your scouter," she choked out. "Vegeta-sai… it's… I don't know how, Tarble, but it's back. They're all alive."

#############

Usagi saved the messages from the king and her squad for the very last, instead going through and watching all of the news videos that were sent out to the populace on very rare occasions. It had been _quite_ an occasion, and with obvious reason, as the dozens of videos so obviously pointed out. Everyone on Vegeta-sai had suddenly reappeared, but there was no Frieza, no armada in sight, no immediate threat to everyone's destruction. And no one knew how in the hell it had happened.

"What about our brother?" Tarble finally asked, posing the question they'd both wanted to ask, but had obviously avoided.

Usagi shook her head. "I don't know," she whispered. "I wish I knew. My scouter showed that he was alive until a few years ago, but it's still reading as 'unknown,' which probably just means that his scouter was destroyed."

After a moment of hesitation, she selected the most recent message from the king, and felt a mixture of comfort and anger at the sight of his face.

"Usagi, this is the fifth message I've sent you, and I know you're alive, since I sent you and your brother to a dirtball with no powerful inhabitants. Contact me immediately," he growled.

"Always to the point, Your Majesty," she grumbled with a roll of her eyes. Her scouter suddenly went off as she went back to her inbox, indicating a high power level nearby. Well, higher than anything she'd seen in a while, though it couldn't compete with her own strength.

"You see that, too?" Tarble asked, suddenly worried.

"Yeah, come on, let's go check it out." Usagi leapt out of her window and blasted off towards the energy signature, only slowing down as she drew close enough to see a space pod identical to the one she'd arrived in. Hers was in storage, though, so this one was definitely not hers.

"Who's that?" Tarble whispered in her ear, when an extremely tall Saiyan warrior emerged. His hair came to his knees, and he wore the typical brown armor of a common warrior.

Only one full-blooded Saiyan had hair that damnably long and unruly. "It's Raditz," Usagi replied in wonder, floating down towards the surface of the planet, and her childhood friend. She saw the look of triumph and joy on Raditz's face the moment he spotted her, just before he schooled it back into his typical, emotionless expression. "R-Radu?" She asked softly, tears brimming in her eyes.

The Saiyan warrior's arms went around her immediately when she threw herself at him, embracing him tightly. "You've grown," he chuckled. "And you look like a girl."

Usagi wiped the tears from her eyes as she pulled away and snorted at her choice in clothing. Gure's home planet was on the humid side, so she chose to wear mostly skirts and thin camisole tops. "Well, there's never a reason to wear my armor anymore, and it gets awfully hot here in the summer. And it's not a dry heat, either, like back home."

"Explains why you hair's up in that ridiculous style," he teased, tugging on one of the pigtails. Damn, her hair had gotten long. It had been down to her knees on Vegeta-sai, but she'd grown it all the way out to her feet. Raditz had to admit that it looked great on her, despite the weird bon-bons on her head.

"It's comfortable!" Usagi laughed. "And it keeps all this hair up off my damned neck when I'm sweating!"

Raditz hugged her tightly to him once more when she simply couldn't help herself and jumped into his arms again. "Don't cry, Usa," he whispered in Saiyan, when he felt her tears falling onto his shoulder.

"You were dead," she choked. "You were all dead, and there was no one coming for us, and nowhere to go, Radu."

"Well, now there is, Usa," he replied almost tenderly. "You can come home. His Majesty sent me to come and see if you and His Highness were still alive, when neither of you answered any of his messages."

"I haven't checked my scouter in years, and neither has Usa," Tarble admitted, finally finding the ability to speak. "Usa only checked hers today to look something up, and saw that her inbox was nearly full."

Raditz turned his head and grinned at Tarble. "You grew up, little prince. Even though you're a midget, like your brother and sister."

Tarble folded his arms over his chest, much like the older brother that he couldn't remember, and smiled. "Yeah, Usa's told me how short all of us are," he chuckled.

"But strong," Usagi said flatly, punching Raditz lightly in the shoulder. "The royal house will always make up in strength for what we lack in height."

The tall Saiyan warrior towered over her and cracked his knuckles. "Care to test that, little girl?"

Usagi laughed and shook her head. "Radu, I'm twenty-eight. I don't think I'm a little girl any more. But sure, I'll be more than happy to kick your ass." She removed her scouter to keep it from getting demolished, and tossed it to her brother. "Ok, I'm ready."

"You're not going to power up, girl—er, woman?"

Usagi popped her neck and shrugged. "No need. Bring it, sissy boy." She grinned when her childhood friend scowled at her, and easily dodged him when he flew right at her at full speed. "You're gonna have to be faster than that," she chided lightly, smirking at him when he turned and eyed her in surprise.

"You've gotten strong."

Usagi tipped her head in acknowledgement. "I've been training for fifteen years, Radu. I expect that I'm even stronger than His Majesty."

"Well, then. You won't mind if I try to pound on you."

Tarble grinned when his sister flew at Raditz and proceeded to bring the pain, only letting up once the older Saiyan flared his ki in a signal to stop. "Done gloating yet?" The youngest of them chuckled good-naturedly. "Usagi's stronger than me, and I'm a royal."

"So she is," Raditz admitted with a touch of wonder. He ignored the attracttion he was starting to feel towards the tiny, gorgeous, and very available female standing in front of him, her arms folded like her brother's, and wearing a smirk identical to a certain crown prince's. No, damn it, this was Usagi for crying out loud! He was going to squash down those Saiyan hormones before they made him do something retarded. "I can't wait for the squad to see you fight, Usa. Nappa's going to shit a brick."

He felt a smile tugging at his mouth when she let out a laugh, musical and clear. The sound took him straight back to his childhood, and how he and Vegeta would always try their best to make her laugh like that.

################

Murmuring with pleasure, Vegeta pulled her to him and bit down lightly on her shoulder. He grinned against her when she wrapped her tail around his and purred softly in her sleep, instinctively pressing her hips against him.

So, she was dreaming about him. How lucky for the both of them. Rolling himself on top of her, he smoothly sheathed himself inside of her and began to move, turning that purr into something more throaty and insistent as he bit down on her mating mark hard enough to open it.

"Geta," she whimpered, clutching at him, still half-asleep. Her body was wide-awake, though, and telling him exactly what she wanted from him as he began to move harder, more insistently.

The prince moaned into her throat as he felt her tighten around him, her nails digging into his back as she cried out his name. "Usa… you're mine, woman. Mine."

"Yours," she whispered.

####################

Vegeta growled, fighting the urge to throw something as he snapped awake, only to find that he'd had yet another one of those ridiculously vivid dreams. "Damn it all to hell," he snarled, looking down. He was painfully hard, which was frankly no surprise. He'd been through this sort of thing enough while he'd been in service to Frieza, once he'd turned fifteen and his Saiyan hormones had started to make themselves known.

The prince almost wished he was back in service to the little purple freak, if only so he could partake of one of the captives that Frieza kept on hand to sate his warriors. There had been one in particular that he'd preferred using in the beginning of his adulthood, a little blonde that was petite and not very powerful. Her eyes had been brown, but that hadn't mattered much when they were closed in ecstasy. He'd done almost everything to that woman that he'd wanted to do to Usagi, giving her nothing but pleasure over and over again until he'd finally allowed himself to find his own.

But then the stupid woman had declared that she was in love with him, and he'd immediately stopped visiting her. It had taken months before Frieza acquired another tiny blonde with a heart-shaped face. That one had been more practical, thank the gods, and he'd been old enough to explain to her that while she would most definitely enjoy her time in his bed, there was no hope for any sort of emotional attachment whatsoever.

That girl had readily agreed to his conditions. She'd been pissed about being claimed as spoils of war, but she was realistic enough to know that he'd treat her a lot more kindly than some of the other non-Saiyan warriors.

After the mutiny, Vegeta had made sure that she was placed on a habitable planet where she'd be safe. After all, she'd given him a good deal of physical pleasure, and even a little emotional comfort when he was secretly pretending that she was Usagi.

A little smirk playing on his lips, Vegeta looked out his window, wondering if she was even still alive. It wasn't the first time he'd speculated about her fate. "Are you having these dreams, too, girl? I sure hope you are, because this is getting unbearable."

########################

"So, Raditz… is he alive?" Usagi whispered. She pushed her plate to the side; she'd cooked for them all, not expecting Gure to try to cook enough to feed not only two, but _three_ hungry Saiyans. Thankfully, Raditz had brought protein-fortified rations with him, and they used those to add to the meal.

"He was a year ago, when I last spoke with him on my scouter. I suspect he still is. I was killed on Earth, where Kakarot was living, and when Vegeta-sai was wished back, I appeared on our homeworld, and not where I died. If Vegeta were dead, I'm pretty such he would have come back to life where the rest of us did. It was the same with Nappa. Vegeta killed him on Earth, and Nappa came back right along with the rest of us."

Usagi swallowed, choking a little on his words. "Geta killed Nappa? But… why?"

"From what Nappa said, it was a mixture of frustration with his weakness, and the ruthlessness that Vegeta was accustomed to using when dealing with failure. He's not the brat that left Vegeta-sai fifteen years ago, Usa. He's hard and cruel. Frieza created a bit of a monster."

"Oh, no." Usagi cried into Tarble's chest when he pulled her to him, unable to stop the tears. "I told him not to forget, not to lose the good that was in him. But it was just too much, wasn't it?"

"Usagi, that's not the only reason he killed Nappa. After we mutinied against Frieza and gained our freedom, we talked about what we were all going to do once we fueled up and found Kakarot and my other brother. The prince was pretty silent during most of the celebrating, but when I asked him what he was going to do, he said he was going to go find you. And when he mentioned you, Usa, he smiled. _Really_ smiled. For the first time in years.

"Nappa says that when Vegeta killed him, he said that he was finally repaying him for the beating that he gave you as a child, and all the times he tried to whip you. The Vegeta we know is still in there, woman. I don't doubt it. And once he sees you, I think he'll fully come back to himself."

"He was always stronger than anyone gave him credit for," Usagi said softly, wiping her tears. "We should go find him."

"That's the plan, princess." He smirked when she gave him a look that clearly told him not to call her that. "Tomorrow, if you want, we'll return to Vegeta-sai, refuel and get supplies, and visit for a little while if you'd like. Then we'll continue on to Earth, which is a three-month journey."

"I'm in," Usagi said firmly. "You, Tarble?"

The prince shook his head slowly. "No, Usa, I'm sorry." He took Gure's hand in his, and gave his sister a shaky smile. "We were waiting to tell you, but… we're expecting a child. And I'd like to be here for that."

Usagi beamed at the both of them and immediately hugged them tightly. "I'm gonna be an auntie!" She laughed. "That's wonderful!"

Gure chuckled and hugged her sister back. "It's a girl, I think, but I can't be sure. I honestly don't even know if I can carry a Saiyan baby for very long. I'm so small compared to even you, so we may wind up having to put the fetus in an incubator tank for the remainder of the pregnancy."

Usagi dried her eyes again, but this time the tears were of joy, not of despair. "You'll call me on my scouter as soon as something happens, right?"

Tarble rolled his eyes and snorted, sounding very much like his sister. "No, Usagi, we're going to make you come back and meet the brat after several years off-world," he laughed sarcastically. "Of course I'll call you."

Usagi rubbed her first on the top of his head hard enough to burn a little. "You're such a fucking smartass, Tar-Tar."

Gure offered to clean up the dishes and the food—what little was left of it after being attacked by three hungry Saiyans—and shooed Usagi off to bed. The blonde was going to need a good night's rest before starting her journey in the morning.

Usagi stripped and climbed into bed naked, as was her custom, knowing she wasn't going to sleep well, not without someone in the bed with her. But she'd live, she functioned on three or four hours of sleep pretty well, since she'd been doing it for years.

She dreamed of the eyes again. Jewel-green eyes that stared at her with so much hunger that she felt like she was going to catch on fire just from gazing into them. She still couldn't see his face, but for the first time in years, she felt his hands on her, and whimpered in pleasure at the unexpected contact.

Then his mouth was on her too, kissing, licking, nipping, biting, forcing her to cry out against him before he took her, hard and possessive. And when he was finished with her, and they were both panting in exhaustion and satisfaction, he curled up behind her, his tail and arm wrapped delicately around her waist.

When she woke in the morning, she blinked in surprise at the dawn coming in through her window. Usagi had slept the whole night. By herself. For the first time ever, in her entire life. "Or maybe I wasn't alone," she whispered to herself, looking to the empty space beside her.

###################

Shoving the last of her things into her bag, Usagi's blue eyes searched her room one last time to make sure she'd grabbed everything. Yes, that should be it. She sighed heavily at the nearly-bare room that had been her home since she was thirteen. For fifteen years, this had been her home, despite the fact that it _hadn't _been home.

She'd been accepted on this planet in a way that she'd never been welcomed on Vegeta-sai, but that hot, red dust-ball would always be her real home, whether she liked it or not.

"Ready?"

Usagi nodded and finally turned to face Raditz, who was leaning against the doorjamb, ducking a little to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. He'd done a lot of that in Gure's house over the last three days, much to Usagi and Tarble's amusement. And every time it had happened, one of them had been sure to gleefully point out the advantage of being a midget of a Saiyan.

Her goodbyes to Gure and Tarble were tear-filled, but brief. None of them wanted to draw it out any longer than necessary; it would just make the parting that much harder. The prince swore that he would check his scouter daily for any messages from her, and that he would immediately call her if there was any news about the baby.

Usagi climbed into her space pod, the one she'd landed in with Tarble fifteen years ago, and found that her hands were shaking as she punched in the coordinates for Vegeta-sai.

Home.

She was going home.

**I hope yall enjoyed this chapter! Usagi is going home, and things are **_**really **_**going to get fun from here on out. I have to work all weekend, so I'll likely post another chapter on Monday. Please review if you enjoyed it, I want to know what yall think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**It's Monday, yall! As promised! And thank you to all of yall that reviewed, you're so AWESOME! Always remember, reviews are greatly appreciated!**

Usagi gathered up her things with trembling hands before pushing open the door on her space pod. Glaring sunlight greeted her, reflecting off the red soil of Vegeta-sai. "Home," she sighed, both in happiness and anticipation.

"Yup, we're home," Raditz answered her with a grin, leaning against her pod. Ever the gentleman, he helped her slip out onto the ground, easily lifting her and placing her solidly on her feet. "You might want to change into some armor, woman."

Usagi shook her head and blushed in embarrassment. "I tried to, but the chest piece… it doesn't fit anymore."

Raditz laughed and poked one of her breasts. "Oh, gods, that's right. I'd forgotten that you didn't have those when you went off-world!" He laughed harder when her voice rose up to join his, but they both stopped immediately when a crowd of people approached their landing site, which was just on the edge of the capitol city.

Usagi waved a little shyly, and ducked behind her friend. "Why are they staring at me?"

"Because you're the princess," Raditz snickered. "And you're finally home."

"I'm not a princess," she snorted, peeking out from behind him. Upon seeing her, those that had drawn closest bowed their heads briefly in respect. Her eyes went wide at the gesture, and she quickly returned it. "I'm not a princess," she repeated, a little louder.

A few of the women in the crowd smirked and chuckled, they knew exactly what she meant by those words. Princesses wore pretty dresses and hit like girls. No Saiyan female worth her salt would ever take that title without some arguing. A familiar face in the crowd came forward, and Usagi found herself sliding out from behind Raditz to stare. "Mother?"

Toma didn't even have to push her way through the ever-growing throng of Saiyans; they parted for her as she made her way towards the front. "Usagi?"

The princess didn't have the strength to say another word, as she quickly closed the distance, throwing herself into the arms of the taller, raven-haired woman. "You're well?" She choked out, fighting as hard as she could not to cry.

"Yes, girl, I'm well," Toma sighed happily, wrapping her tail tightly around the child she hadn't held in fifteen years. "I find you well, too?"

"Yes, Mother, I am now."

"And your brother?"

Usagi giggled a little at that. "Little Tar-Tar's mated now. He stayed behind, but he promised to make the trip soon, after Gure delivers their first child."

The mother and child slowly separated, and the former of the two looked at the latter in wonder. "Gods, brat, you're a woman." A smile tugged at her lips at the sight of the skirt and thin camisole. "Do you fight like one, too?"

She promptly rose her ki almost to its peak, stepping back a little so that her ki flames wouldn't burn her mother. "That answer your question, Mother?"

"_Gods_, child. You're stronger than any of us. Maybe even the king."

Her blue eyes went wide at that statement, and she shook her head in disbelief. "No I'm not." Thank the gods that she wasn't pushing her ki, she knew she could go even higher than what it was currently at. She swiftly cut off the ki flames surrounding her. "I've been training all this time, though," she finally admitted, while everyone stared at her.

"Highness, would you like to get settled?" Raditz asked from behind, trying not to grin at her obvious discomfort.

"Don't call me that," she snapped, whipping her head around. "I won't hear that title, especially not from _you_, Radu."

"Yes, Highness," he teased mercilessly, causing Usagi to sig h comically and roll her eyes. That seemed to break the tension in the crowd, and they immediately parted when Toma led the way to the palace.

"Mother, why are all these people here?" Usagi whispered, and they walked through the ever-growing crowd.

"You're the first to return from off-world, Usa. Your brother stayed behind for obvious reasons, and Prince Vegeta is still alive, presumably on that dirtball that Kakarot was sent to decades ago. Raditz is going to go retrieve him as well, in about a week. If he'll come."

Usagi sighed a little, returning nods of respect from all of the people that were giving them. "I don't want all this fanfare, Mother. Not that I don't appreciate it, but I was practically a damned embarrassment to the royal family."

"Things have changed a lot in the last week or so, daughter. We are no longer in service to Frieza. The king has… well, I'll let him tell you."

The double doors of the palace opened, and there stood the object of their conversation, wearing his royal armor and cape, grinning ear to ear at the sight of her. "Daughter."

A single golden eyebrow lifted upon hearing that word, and Usagi just stared at him. "Majesty." She jumped a little in surprise when the king stepped forward and took her by the arm, leading her further into the palace.

"Are you tired or hungry, girl?"

"No, Majesty, thank you. I would, however, like to get into some armor and out in the training ring. I haven't properly trained in years, not since I got stronger than Tarble."

King Vegeta smirked at that and nodded. "Spoken like a true Saiyan. That ki I felt a little while ago, was that yours?" He chuckled when she shrugged a little, clearly embarrassed by all of the attention. "You'll be sparring with the Elite then, I think. I'm sure you'd like a piece of a few of them."

"Is Nappa back, too?" Usagi asked with sudden interest. The king was exactly right. There were quite a few warriors that she'd like to put in the dirt, especially the ones that had made fun of her as a child.

"Let's get you suited up, first," the king said with amusement, ushering her into the armory. "That clothing is barely better than a damned nightgown."

"Gure's planet is really hot and humid, Majesty. What the hell did you expect?" Usagi stepped behind a dressing screen and stripped, carefully setting her clothing aside so she could save it as a memento.

"Here, girl, try this one on," Vegeta ordered, passing a box over the screen. "It should fit you."

The king was spot on with his guess; the armor and the spandex underthings fit her perfectly. "Good eye, Your Majesty." Usagi stepped out, tugging on the tight-fitting black fighting gloves that she'd always worn when she'd sparred with Tarble.

"You're not going to wear the standard issue gloves?" He raked his gaze up and down her gorgeous figure, and realized that throwing her out to the Elite might very well be a bad idea. His son would have a shit fit if one of those men tried to claim her and succeeded.

"Sentimental value. Tarble made them for me for my fourteenth birthday, out of the hide of some creature on Gure's planet. They're nigh indestructible. I don't suppose I can get some fatigues, too, if it's not any trouble? I've outgrown everything I was sent off-world with."

"Of course, daughter. See someone to get outfitted after you're finished training."

"Majesty, while I appreciate the sudden kindness you're showing me, I'm not your daughter," she finally sighed, ready to take the punishment that she knew was coming for speaking out of turn.

King Vegeta frowned, but reined in his temper. While this girl deserved an explanation, he couldn't give her a full one, but he could at least give her some information. "When we all were suddenly alive, girl, the first thing I did was check on your status. Seeing that you and your brother were still alive, I decided to raise you to the status of princess. You're now a member of the royal house. And your impressive power level has nothing to do with it. Being brought back… it's made myself and most of our race realize that there are things that matter a little more than might and expanding our empire. I suppose that being dead for fifteen years has changed our tunes a little." He held up a hand to silence her when she opened her mouth to comment. "No, girl, let me say this. I'm…" Vegeta swallowed, trying to find the will to say the word. "…sorry. For the way you were treated as a child. And for the contempt that I showed you simply because you weren't of my seed. It wasn't your fault that your mother was mated once before."

"Accepted," Usagi said softly, daring to hug him around the neck. "Would you like to watch me spar…" She licked her lips, trying to get her mind wrapped around this new word. "…Father?"

Vegeta smirked as they separated, and linked her arm in his own. "I would like that very much, daughter."

Toma couldn't keep the smile from her face at the sight of her mate and daughter arm-in-arm on their way to the training ring, where quite a few warriors had already gathered at the word that the princess would be sparring. She followed them out, and folded her arms over her chest, leaning against a pillar off to the side.

Usagi tipped a nod to the king as she stepped into the ring. "NAPPA!" She shouted, casting around for her old instructor.

"Here, girl." The ridiculously tall, bald Saiyan stepped forward and out of the crowd. "You've got something to say to me?"

Cracking her knuckles, she took a fighting stance. "I owe you a few ass-kickings, old man."

Nappa grinned and rolled his neck, popping it loudly. "You never got anything from me you didn't deserve, girl. In fact, you missed out on a lot that you _did_ deserve."

Usagi winced at the memories of the crown prince taking whippings in her stead. Nappa was going to pay for every fucking lash. "Well, I'm ready to take a beating if you think you're up to it, Nappa."

"Bring it, little girl."

"You asked for it, asshole." Usagi flew at him then, and when he tried to dodge, she grabbed him by the arm and flung him down into the dirt. "Let me guess, you weren't ready for me yet?"

Nappa brushed himself off as he stood and regarded her with a touch of respect. He immediately powered up. "I was ready, girl. I was just assessing your speed. You've gotten very fast. Come at me again."

Doing as she was told, Usagi flew at him again, and found herself raising her ki to keep up with him. Her power level quickly outstripped his, however, and she had him on the defensive as their fight went into the air above the spectators.

"You're holding back, girl!" Nappa shouted at her. "Don't tell me that you're too much of a pussy to blast me into Hell!"

She had to admit to herself that he was right; she just wanted to show him up, earn his respect. Not hurt him. "I don't have to do that to win, Nappa, and you damned well know it."

Nappa traded several punches with her, taking a few hits to the jaw and ribs while she easily blocked everything he threw at her. "Well, girl, you're going to be in for an unpleasant surprise if you can't learn to fight like a real warrior."

Quickly flaring her ki to signal a timeout, Usagi flew back a little and stared at him. "What exactly do you mean?" She asked. She hadn't missed the gravity in his choice and in his eyes when he'd said those words.

"All of those warriors down there are here to watch you fight, to judge your skill. And then most of them are going to try and claim you. You've been here for an hour, and word has already gotten around about how beautiful and powerful the princess of Vegeta-sai had become." Nappa shook his head and grinned when her jaw dropped at his statement. "So, what do I mean? I mean that you'd better be willing to step the fuck up and beat some serious ass if you don't want to wind up bitten and bedded by the end of the day."

"Oh, gods…" Usagi felt like fainting at those words. She'd returned home, only to be singled out like this!?

"Don't worry, princess. I've got your back. Raditz, too. I've already had a few words with him. If anyone manages to really weaken you, they'll have to go through us, too. Perhaps the king as well."

Her expression softened a little. "Why?"

"Besides being my duty, princess, I owe you. I was harder on you than most others. Not for the reasons you think, though. It was because you're a girl. So…" Nappa shook his head and looked down to the spectators well out of hearing range. "…I want you to power up to your full strength, right now, and beat the shit out of me. Seeing you at full strength will run off at least half of your suitors. Raditz assured me that you have a unique talent for healing?"

Usagi flushed in anger and surprise that her only friend had given away the secret that she'd successfully kept from everyone during her childhood. "If you tell _anyone_, Nappa, you'll be spending the next year in the fucking rejuvenation tank."

"Your secret's safe with me, princess, but I don't think it's something you'll want to hide any longer. It'll only reinforce how much of an asset you can be. Just keep up that Saiyan swagger that you entered the ring with, and I think you'll be just fine. Now… if you're willing to heal me up afterwards…?"

With a nod and a heavy sigh, Usagi powered up to her full strength, letting loose a Saiyan battle cry as her ki burned her skin and erupted all around her. "Ready. You'd better power up, too, Nappa. All the way."

"I already am," he admitted grudgingly. Gods, this girl was likely more powerful than himself _and_ the king. Combined. And likely more powerful than Vegeta, even if he had been training the entire time he'd been stuck on earth. Since he was privy to the king's plans for the blonde, he found himself wondering if the crown prince would even be able to claim this slip of a woman.

"Alright, Nappa…" Usagi's jaw tensed as she mentally prepared herself to really hurt someone for the first time in her life. She flew at him, and gratefully let the Saiyan in her take over as she proceeded to really bring the pain. This was nothing compared to her sparring with Raditz before they'd travelled to Vegeta-sai; those had been lovetaps in comparison to what she was dishing out to her old teacher.

After breaking his jaw, both legs and arms, and probably all of his ribs, Usagi flew down to catch the much-larger Saiyan before he hit the ground, and remembered just in time to keep her Saiyan composure, glaring at all of the warriors standing around her. She carefully set Nappa down in the ring, and proceeded to use her ki to heal his injuries, ignoring the gasps of surprise all around her.

"You hit like a girl," she told him, when he opened his eyes and blinked at her.

"At least I don't look like one," he snorted in return, taking the arm she offered to pull him to his feet.

"I'd rather look like one than hit like one," one of the Elite shouted from the sidelines. He sounded an awful lot like Raditz, and Usagi found herself silently thanking her friend for yelling that out. It had set the other warriors to laughing, breaking the tension around them.

"So, daughter, you can heal as well?"

Usagi nodded, and turned to face the king. "Yes, Sire, I can. I've always been able to. I was taught to harness that power during the time I was gone, and I learned how to use it to fight as well. That ability greatly augmented my powers, once I knew how to use it correctly."

The princess waited for him to declare her a freak of nature, just as she'd been sure he would twenty years ago, but he merely smirked and nodded. "Any other talents you may have that I'm not aware of?"

Usagi shrugged and shook her head. "I… it's embarrassing, but I sing really well. Gure's people sing when they heal, but thankfully I don't have to. Some of the words in their language are nearly impossible to pronounce for a native speaker of the Saiyan language." The arts weren't valued on Vegeta-sai, so thankfully His Majesty just nodded, and didn't ask her to sing for him. "I can also ink. I did one on my hip, and Tarble's tattoo when he came of age."

"Well, then, we should get you over to the ink masters sometime soon. We'll get you some proper tools if you require them."

"Thank you, Majesty." Usagi gave him a real smile when he smirked at her with a touch of pride. It was awfully nice to be appreciated by another Saiyan for once, and she was finding herself overwhelmed with the difference in how she was being treated fifteen years later.

"If I may interrupt, Majesty?"

Usagi turned around just as Nappa approached her, but she merely looked around him to the young warrior who had spoken. He was eyeing her with appreciation, and she had a funny feeling that it wasn't just in respect for her fighting skills.

Bending his head to her ear, Nappa spoke softly. "It begins, girl. Go balls out and put him in the dirt as fast as you can. And don't heal him, either. The faster you take him out, the less likely anyone else will try to claim you today."

"I understand." And she did. If she showed any weakness, any indication that her stamina was flagging, she would be challenged yet again by a suitor that had hopes of claiming her while she was tired.

This was going to be a very long training session.

King Vegeta glared at the warrior that had stepped forward and interrupted his conversation with his daughter. "What do you want, boy?"

"I request the right to claim the princess as my mate," he said firmly.

"Girl?" The king rumbled. "I'll tell him to fuck off if you want. After all, you just landed two hours ago."

"No, Majesty, I'm more than up to the challenge," she replied with a little growl, powering back up to her full strength. An evil little smirk graced her lips when the warrior's eyes flickered with obvious nervousness. This brat was going to get his ass handed to him. "Take me if you can, boy."

One punch was all it took, right to his balls, and the youth fell to the ground with a thud. "Anyone else?" She snarled. "Or can I actually get some fucking training done today?"

The Elite were too busy laughing and shaking their heads at such a vicious display for any of them to step forward, and just about every second and third class warrior had realized that they had absolutely _no_ chance of taking the Saiyan princess in a fair fight.

"Good," she said brightly after waiting for another challenge. She growled again, however, as she pointed at the warrior on the ground. "Someone get him out of my ring. If the doctors can't find his balls, tell them to look in his throat."

More laughter erupted from her old squad-mates at that comment, and a couple of them stepped forward to scoop up the warrior and cart him to the infirmary. Both of them nodded at her with respect. "Good to have you back, Princess," one of them chuckled with a grin.

"Good to be back, Paragus. Thanks. How's your brat doing?"

"Heh, he's not a brat anymore, Usagi. Broly's all grown up, now, and one of our strongest warriors. He's in the city right now, but I suspect you'll be facing him in the ring within the next few days. Good luck… though I have to admit, I wouldn't mind having you for a daughter-in-law."

With a shake of her head and a roll of her eyes, she managed a laugh. "Don't hold it against me when I put him in the tank for a week, Paragus."

"Of course not, I look forward to watching you two pound on each other."

Usagi let him go then, and turned an eye on the king, who was in deep conversation with Nappa and Raditz. Hopefully they were discussing strategies for keeping her unmated. "Please tell me you're planning on keeping my virginity whole?" She snorted as she approached them.

"That's exactly it, Usa," Raditz assured her.

"You can hole up in the palace as much as you want, girl, but the moment you step out into the city or the ring, you can expect to face at least one challenger," Nappa informed her.

"During your woman times, you will restrict yourself to the royal wing, understand?" King Vegeta asked. "And you are not to go into the city without myself, Nappa, or Raditz in your company. I can't very well stop these men from trying to claim you, but I can at least try and make it fair for you. And if it's fair, you won't have to worry about being mated to anyone you don't want. You're definitely strong enough to fight them all off."

"Who are the biggest threats?" Gods, this was going to be an eventful stay.

"Broly, most definitely," Nappa said flatly. "He's strong, even stronger than the king. But not quite as strong as you, so don't worry yourself too much. I'm more worried about him weakening you and someone else trying to take you right after. And Bardock, but I don't know if he'll make a go at it or not."

"Oh no, Romayna died?" Usagi asked, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice. "Radu, I'm so sorry," she said softly, hugging him tightly.

"Yeah," he replied gruffly, hugging her in return despite the stares all around them. "It was from an illness, before the genocide, so she wasn't wished back. Father was devastated. Now, get off of me, before you make me look soft, girl."

"Ack, sorry." Usagi quickly separated from him and blushed. "You saw how it was on Gure's world."

"Feh, all that touchy-feely bullshit. Not a place to raise a Saiyan warrior," Raditz snorted. "I'm amazed that they did such a good job with you, though," he admitted. "And while it's a possibility, I don't think Father will try and claim you. It's been fifteen years, but for him, it's only been a few months."

"Good," she sighed with relief. "I would have felt terrible if I'd been forced to beat the shit out of your father. What about you, Nappa?" Usagi teased with a tiny grin. "You've got a mate by now, surely?"

The bald Saiyan shook his head and eyed her with interest. "If I had actually beaten you, I would have claimed you," he replied with frank honesty. His lips twitched up a bit when those gorgeous blue eyes grew wide. "Don't worry about it, girl, you beat me fairly, and I'm not the type to make a second attempt."

"Uh-huh. You'd better not, or I'm giving your balls the same treatment as the last guy."

"Which is why I won't make a second attempt," he repeated with an easy grin. "You're gorgeous, girl. And royalty. And ridiculously strong."

"And you can't blame all of these men for wanting to make a try at having you," the king added. "But I promise I won't let them try to take you unfairly. I can't fully dictate ancient Saiyan laws, but I can bend them a little if it suits me. You won't be mated to anyone unless it's your wish."

"Thank you, Father."

###########

"Radu, you need to relax a little."

"Not a chance, woman. You see the way all of the men are eyeing you?" Despite his words, he leaned against the market stall, trying to look a little more at ease, even though he never took his eyes off of Usagi's blindspots.

"No, but I can feel their eyes on me," she admitted with a grumble. "Ah, perfect!" She exclaimed to the woman running the shop. "Can I get a few of these?"

"Of course, princess. That's just a sample, though. I can have several of them made up and delivered to the palace, if you like."

"Feh. Don't call me that," Usagi complained good-naturedly. "Usagi will do… dear gods, I love those fatigues! They have all sorts of pockets!" She frowned when the shopkeeper held them up to her waist, only to see that they were way too big. "Oh well."

"I can have these made up for you, too, prin—Usagi." The vendor found herself dropping her Saiyan composure when the princess gave her a winning smile. "How many would you like?"

"Huh, I dunno." Usagi fluffed her hair thoughtfully. "Lately, I have a tendency to shred my clothes during training, but I still hate wearing that damnable armor. How much are they?" Her crystal blue eyes went a little wide at the price, but she dug around in her pocket anyway. "I can afford two or three of them, I think. Hang on—"

"Put it on the account, Usa," Raditz growled, rolling his eyes. "His Majesty will be upset if you keep paying for everything on your own."

"No, damn it! The king shouldn't be paying for my clothes, too, when I could easily get outfitted at the palace!"

He leaned around the stall to look at the shopkeeper, who was obviously enjoying their little exchange. "Put it on the account, that's an order."

"But Radu, I—"

"Shut up, Usa. It's good business for this woman, too. Everybody wins. You get the things you need, the king feels a level of satisfaction for providing for his daughter, and this woman makes a considerable amount of money."

Usagi's mouth hung open just a little bit before she huffed in defeat. "_Fine_. Gods, I hate it when you start to sound reasonable." Turning back to the merchant, she laid the black tank top down that she'd originally come over to find. "Alright, I know when I'm beaten. I guess I'll take five of each?"

"She'll take twenty," Raditz corrected, clapping his hand over Usagi's mouth when her eyes flashed with anger and she parted her lips to sharply protest. "Go ahead and write up the ticket before she starts screaming her head off," he added with amusement. "Ow! You bit me, you bitch!"

Grinning ear to ear, Usagi easily slapped his hand away when he tried to punch her in the shoulder. "You shouldn't have put it over my mouth, then. I have to admit, though, I was tempted to slobber all over it to gross you out."

"Ew, woman."

"Exactly." Her and the vendor traded grins when Raditz wiped his hand on his fatigues, but the older woman's smile suddenly turned into a frown.

"Behind you, princess," she said quickly.

Usagi whipped around, immediately erecting a ki shield and taking a fighting stance. The warrior that had been behind her just smiled nonchalantly and cocked his head at an angle. "Well, bring it if you're going to," she snapped impatiently.

"That would be rude, don't you think?"

Her blue eyes blinked in surprise when he took a couple steps back and held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. She gradually relaxed a little, folding her arms over her chest. "Yes, it would be rude," she finally agreed, "but that didn't stop two third-class warriors from trying earlier."

"I have no wish to interrupt your shopping trip, princess." He held out his hand to shake with her. "Broly."

Hearing a growl from behind her, Usagi gave Raditz a little smile. "I think he's ok for now, Radu."

Knowing exactly what the princess's bodyguard was thinking, Broly gave her a winning smile. "I swear on my honor that I won't try to claim you today. Fair enough?" He exchanged a nod with Raditz when it was obvious that her guard was satisfied with his vow.

"Fair enough," she snorted, finally taking his hand and shaking it firmly. "Usagi. A pleasure."

"The pleasure is most definitely all mine," Broly replied. "And I offer my services to you while you're in the city today."

Raditz frowned deeply at that, but he had to admit that the help would be welcome. He'd been on edge ever since that first challenge only a couple hours ago. "Four eyes are better than two," he conceded. And no one would fuck with Usagi if she had Broly standing watch; he was arguably the strongest warrior on the planet, besides the princess.

"So," Usagi said knowingly. "You thought you could try and get close, so you could get my guard down at a later date when you try to pound on me?"

"Pretty much." Broly wasn't going to lie to her, she was stunning, perfect, and he wanted her. "I'd prefer to let you get to know me, though, and maybe you'll just decide not to put up a fight." He smirked when she blushed all the way to her ears. "My interest embarrasses you, princess?"

She got impossibly redder when his eyes travelled up and down her body, and managed a tiny nod before turning back to the shopkeeper, who was watching Broly with suspicion.

"Watch yourself, princess," she advised softly. "All of us women are rooting for you." She studied all the clothing, and went back to business. "I can have these ready for you in two days' time. Is that acceptable?"

"That would be excellent. And thank you," Usagi added quickly, "for warning me that someone was behind me."

"My pleasure, Usagi. Kick him in the balls for me once you're in the ring."

Raditz and Usagi both snickered at that, and it was obvious that Broly was trying to take it in stride and not get angry. Usagi patted him on the back as she passed him, headed to the stall in the Saiyan market that carried socks and boots. "Don't take it heart, Broly, I only aim for the nuts when I'm really mad."

"Good to know." Not wanting to be left behind, he quickly strode up to walk beside her, matching her stride and flinging a companionable arm around her shoulder. "So, princess, where to next?"

"To the sparring ring with me and Nappa, if you don't get your hands off of her," Raditz warned, plucking Broly's arm off of his charge, before wrapping his own around her waist protectively.

She rolled her eyes at the both of them and growled under her breath. "If I didn't need someone to watch my back, I'd be telling the both of you to fuck off. Either get along, or I'm going to find Nappa to help me finish shopping… and while it would be fun to subject that man to helping me buy clothes, I'd rather not listen to his bitching."

"Sorry," Raditz mumbled, pleased when she didn't try to remove the arm he had snaked around her.

"My apologies, princess," Broly said smoothly. "I have to ask, why don't you just ask a servant to come out here and do your shopping?"

"Because I'd rather pick out my own underwear," she replied with a snort of amusement. "And speaking of which…" Usagi stopped abruptly at a stall, and smiled at the woman behind the counter, before turning her head and blushing at Broly, who was studying all of the undergarments on display. "If I could get some privacy?"

Broly nodded and grinned, before stepping out of sight, still in a spot beside the stall where he could watch her back.

"You want me to…?" Raditz asked, his face coloring a little at the idea of Usagi wearing some of the less modest items on display.

"Nah, you're fine, Radu. What, is this bothering you?" She snickered, holding up a lacy pair of black underwear.

"Feh. Girls."

"That's what I thought." Sharing a chuckle with the shopkeeper, Usagi nodded at that particular pair of underwear, since it was cute, and then moved on to more practical choices, such as cotton panties and sports bras that she could wear under her tank tops and fatigues. "Uh, I nearly forgot, I also need nightgowns."

"Put it on the account," Raditz grumbled. "You're not sleeping with me naked, woman."

"Feh, you wish," she teased.

Alright, she had him there. Being the only male she could trust, Raditz had been assigned to bunk in Usagi's room as her night guard, which was a ridiculously high honor. It showed just how much trust she had in him, but with the attraction he was starting to feel towards her, he wondered if it was the wisest choice. She'd worn her clothing from Gure's homeworld to bed the night before, despite the heat, since she lacked any nightgowns and didn't want to bother her mother for any.

He sighed a little to himself at how wonderful it had felt when she'd crawled into bed with him, snuggling against his chest, her eyes closed in perfect trust. Gods, how he'd wanted to kiss her senseless when her tail had wrapped around his waist.

"Radu?"

"Huh?" The guard blushed when he realized that he'd zoned out for a good bit, and Usagi was ready to move on to the next stall. Gods, if Broly hadn't been there to watch her back, and there had been an attempt to claim her… "Gods, Highness, I'm sorry. I was thinking."

"So, that's the burning I smelled. You're fine, Radu, come on. You too, Broly. I'm starting to get hungry, what about you two?" She beamed when Raditz's stomach growled, as if on cue, and led them to an outdoor eatery.

Broly signaled Raditz to hang back a little, just out of earshot, but not too far back that they couldn't keep an eye out for any would-be suitors. "You want her too, I can tell. Does she know?" Despite the fact that he wanted Usagi for himself, Broly felt a pang of sympathy for the third-class warrior.

Raditz stiffened at that question. Was it that fucking obvious? "I'm her friend, and her night guard. I'd never break such a level of trust," he snarled.

"I didn't say you would. In fact, I admire your level of control. I doubt I could be able to share her bed at night and not keep my hands to myself. She looks like a cuddler, too, I'll bet my armor that you woke up this morning and she was wrapped around you."

"More like on top of me," he admitted. "She has a tendency to hog the bed." Raditz shrugged a little when Broly gave him an understanding smile. "I'm used to it, though; she slept with me on occasion when we were brats, if the crown prince wasn't available."

"I envy your familiarity with her, Raditz. She's a vision. And she's waving us over," he added with a grin. "We'd better get over there and eat something before she realizes that we're talking about her."

#########

Raditz nearly had a nosebleed when Usagi came out of the bathroom, ready for bed. What she was wearing wasn't inappropriate by any means, but the nightgowns that Saiyan women wore were nearly see-through, and only came to mid-thigh. Thank the gods she was wearing underwear, even if she wasn't wearing a bra. He quickly schooled his features as he climbed into her bed, wearing his spandex shorts. "Night, princess."

Usagi punched him in the shoulder lightly as she snuggled in next to him. "Usagi," she corrected.

Raditz shivered with pleasure when her arm and tail went around him, and she laid her head on his chest. Gods, this was sweet torture. "Whatever." He couldn't say her name, if he did, she would hear the desire in his voice. He was going to have to corner a female servant, and soon, or he was going to wind up doing something that would get him executed.

**God, I wanted to keep going, but the next good cutoff point is a mile away from this one, so here it is. To answer about Broly, I have no fucking clue what I'm doing. For the sake of argument, let's just all assumed him and Paragus died somewhere out in space, after Broly had grown up. Yeah, just assume that and roll with it, damn it. I like what I've done with him as a character so far, and I've made him not psychotic. And awesome as hell. Hope yall enjoy this chapter, and I'll post a note on chapter 4 if I have to go back and edit this one for continuity purposes, since my storytelling took a bit of a turn as I kept writing. Now, off to work!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A few surprises in this chapter, I hope yall enjoy it! And no, we're not even close to her and Vegeta meeting after so many years. **

Usagi woke to the feel of large, wonderfully calloused hands snaking their way up her thighs, pulling at her underwear, and a hot mouth trailing down her throat before rising up to claim her lips. She kissed back instinctively, wondering if this was some sort of dream about her green-eyed warrior, until she heard a very familiar voice moan against her.

She jerked away quickly at that, and blushed, her eyes widening in surprise. "Radu!" She yelled, grabbing a pillow and whacking him over the head with it. "What do you think you're doing!?" She ranted, still hitting him relentlessly, sending feathers flying.

Raditz's eyes cracked open slowly, glazed with lust, but quickly went wide in disbelief when he realized what he'd nearly done in his sleep. He backpedaled to get away from her so quickly that he fell off the bed, thunking into the nightstand. "Gods, Usagi," he groaned from the floor.

Peeking over the edge, she glared at him. "Just what did you think you were doing?" The princess snapped at him, distrust stamped all over her face.

"I was dreaming… I think," he managed, rubbing the sore spot where he'd hit his head. "Sorry. Are you alright? I didn't—did I? I don't think I did." He climbed back onto the bed to check her, and found her underwear tugged down, exposing her. He quickly righted them and shook his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Usagi. You know I wouldn't try to make a move on you."

Her face just as red as his, she shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she snorted. "Just go get laid or something so it doesn't happen again?"

Raditz nodded, hearing the hint of worry in her voice. He knew she was worrying about whether or not he should continue as her night guard, wondering if she should just risk sleeping by herself, even though she wouldn't get much sleep alone. "Don't worry, Usa, I have no interest in a scrawny little girl like you," he lied through his teeth. She bought the lie, though, it was evident from the way she chuckled and punched him playfully on the shoulder.

He dressed quickly, once he was sure she wasn't going to leave the palace for at least an hour, before making his way to the servants' wing to locate a non-Saiyan woman that would be willing to bed him and relieve some of his sexual frustration.

Raditz got several interested looks, but they were all brunettes, and right then, he wanted a blonde, damn it. Ah, perfect, right there. The girl nodded at him nervously when he approached, her blue eyes travelling up his much larger form. There was only one reason that a Saiyan Elite would be in this wing of the palace, and this girl knew it. "You busy doing anything important right now?" He asked easily.

"I—uh—please, I'd rather not—" she stammered, eyes cast down.

"What's your name?"

"Mina," she said softly, still refusing to look him in the face. Her lower lip trembled a little bit when he tipped her chin up with one of his fingers. "Please don't," she added, just as quietly.

"Look, woman, I'll make you a deal." Raditz looked around quickly, and was pleased to find them alone in the hallway. Good, no chance at being interrupted and effectively cockblocked. "You're a virgin?" He smirked when she gave him a timid nod. "And you're new to the palace?"

"I was fifteen years ago."

Giving her a lazy grin, Raditz nodded. "Frankly, I'm impressed that you've managed to dodge the other warriors during the last few weeks, with all the celebrating that's been going on. But you can't dodge them forever. And I'll be a lot more careful with you than most of them." Yup, just as he expected, she wasn't pushing him away, but carefully considering his words. Negotiations had always been one of his better skills. "Well?" He asked after a full minute of waiting. "I won't hurt you, woman. I promise. In fact, I'll be doing quite the opposite, if you'll let me."

Mina was clearly checking him out now, slowly, wondering if this was the best course of action. She had, in fact, been dodging Saiyan warriors left and right since Vegeta-sai's rebirth, and it was getting more and more difficult to get around them as palace life started to return to normal. "You know what you're doing?" She blushed, surprised at her own boldness.

"Well, I could tell you, but I'd rather show you. Is your room nearby?"

Oh, fuck it. He was absolutely right, and Mina would much rather have her first time be with a man that would be considerate of her virginity than with some random warrior that would fuck her senseless and wind up hurting her, even if that wasn't his intention. "A few doors down."

Raditz smirked in triumph when the servant took his hand and led him to a door only a few yards away, and ushered him inside. "Not bad for servants' quarters," he remarked.

"I'm more of a captive than a servant," she admitted. "But it's been fifteen years since I was captured, so I don't even know if my planet even exists anymore," Mina added with a shrug. "We have an audience with the king the day after tomorrow. Apparently he's letting all of the captives go home if they choose to, once the delegation returns. I'll likely be stuck here."

"Just to get things straight, woman, this is just physical. None of that emotional stuff involved. I just need some relief."

Mina nodded slowly. "You're not one of the younger warriors, so I thought as much. You Saiyans don't normally hunt for a piece of ass past a certain age, right?"

"Right, unless we're a little desperate, or we've found our mate."

"What's your name, anyways? I'd like to know who I'm sleeping with, if that's ok."

Raditz gave her an easy grin. For a non-Saiyan, this girl was alright. "Raditz."

Mina's eyes went wide in recognition, and she laughed softly. "I'm not laughing at you," she said quickly, sitting down on the bed. "It's just—everything makes an awful lot of sense, now. You're the princess's night guard, right?" When he nodded, her laughter died down to an understanding smile. "And you went looking for a quick lay that happens to look almost exactly like her?"

"I got lucky," he admitted grudgingly. "I happened to be searching for a blonde. And if you utter a single word…" He let the sentence hang, knowing she'd come to her own conclusions about pain and torture.

"I won't say anything," she chuckled. "Actually, I think it's a little sweet, that you have a crush on her like that. It can't be easy waking up every morning with her draped over you. Word gets around in the palace," she added, when he shot her a questioning look, clearly wondering where she was getting her information from.

"Well, might as well get this off, I'm sure you have things to do." With a heavy sigh, she started to unfasten the straps of her gown, a flimsy thing that was standard garb on her homeworld.

"No," Raditz said quickly. "Let me."

Mina gave a little gasp of surprise when he pulled her to him and kissed her, his hands going to the straps at her shoulders and slowly drawing the laces open. She returned the kiss when it was obvious that he wasn't going to push her too quickly to do anything, and gave a little gurgle of pleasure when his tongue stroked her bottom lip, seeking entry.

Raditz moaned when she opened to him, and slid her dress down in order to cup her naked breasts, brushing his thumbs over her nipples. Her reaction to that was definitely positive, and he found his hands moving with a mind of their own, needing to touch every inch of exposed tan skin that they could find.

It wasn't Usagi in his arms, but when he tipped her back onto the bed and she began to tug impatiently at his clothing, it didn't really matter who she was.

###########

"What are you staring at, Nappa?"

He pulsed his ki just a hair in a quick little pattern, and Usagi recognized her and Vegeta's codes from years ago. The message was for her to be quiet and wait. She followed his gaze, and it settled on a figure in the distance, resting against a balcony.

The figure turned towards them, too far away to see who it was, but Usagi could make out a flash of blue hair before the figure stiffened and quickly hurried inside. "Who is that?"

"She's mine, whoever she is," Nappa sighed. "She's been dodging me for weeks. I caught a glimpse of her on the second day after we were wished back, out on that same balcony. She appears at random, but usually only when there's about to be a sparring match."

"You haven't tried to find her?" Usagi asked incredulously. She patted his shoulder when he nodded and gave a miserable sigh. "Poor Nappa. I saw blue hair, so she must be one of those Althean captives that Father was telling me about."

"Yeah, only I've searched _every _room in that wing of the palace. I haven't even smelled a trace of her. His Majesty assured me that I would know the scent when I caught a whiff of it. He said it would be the best thing I ever smelled in my life. And so far, I haven't been able to find a trace of her. I even asked the Altheans about a woman with blue hair, if they had one among them."

"I can only imagine that they were pretty tight-lipped."

"Yeah, and I can't fault them for refusing to give up one of their own, after what we did to their planet." Nappa shook his head and leaned against a pillar, folding his arms over his chest.

Usagi imitated the pose, trying to think of some way to help Nappa. "So, you've checked all the rooms. What about mess? She has to eat sometime, right?"

"Every day, at every meal, woman. No sign of her."

"The public baths?" Usagi grinned at that. "Talk about a way to catch a woman with her fatigues down."

"I've already interrogated and bribed the attendants, who are all Saiyan. They haven't seen her, either. She could just be showering in her room, though."

"Well then, just think for a moment, Nappa. Where in the palace can anyone live, where they would never have to leave even to eat?" Usagi asked patiently, coming to several conclusions on her own.

"The royal wing."

"Right."

Nappa thought really hard, and shook his head. "Maybe the infirmary. I've seen some fridges in there."

"Ok. Anywhere else?"

"Hm… I don't know. The lab?" He asked. "I've never been down there, and lately the king's been keeping it pretty hush-hush. I think he's got the technicians and the physicists down there working on something top secret."

"Maybe she's one of them?" Usagi leaned in and gave him a one-armed hug, trying to give him some sort of comfort. "It must be making you crazy if you've felt the pull for several weeks, especially at your age."

"Princess, are you calling me old?" He chuckled.

"Well, you were grown when you trained us, so… yeah." Usagi grinned and easily dodged a swing, giggling when he tried to follow up with another. "Aw, come on, Nappa. I'm trying to help you out. I'll see what I can learn from the servants, they seem to like me for the most part. Sound good?"

"Thank you, Usagi." Nappa gave her a hesitant smile. "In the meantime, I'll check the infirmary and the labs."

##############

"You alright?"

Mina smiled sleepily and nodded. "I'm great, actually. You? Did that do the job, or do you need a second helping?"

Raditz grinned at her offer. "Didn't get enough?"

"Oh, I'm satisfied, I just didn't want you to leave here needing more than what you got. You did me a favor, I'm more than happy to return it."

"But you did."

Mina laughed at that, the sound ringing prettily throughout the room. "Yeah, Raditz. I got you off once. You got me off like, six times. And you took my virginity kindly, at that. I think you're the one that's still owed something."

When she put it like that, he couldn't help but agree. "Well, as long as I have your silence on certain matters, I think we're pretty even, woman."

"Ah, that. Don't worry, I'm not the type to run my mouth or kiss and tell. But if we're even… may I ask a really strange favor of you? If it's not a problem."

"You can ask all you want woman, it doesn't mean I'll say yes," he snorted.

"Exactly. Well, you see, I have two friends of mine that were captured with me, and they've also been dodging warriors left and right. Mako's had the hardest time of it since she's in the kitchen; she's actually killed a few men that have tried to gang up on her. She's a great cook, though, so they won't transfer her." She stopped and blushed when Raditz apparently got where she was going with that and let out a groan.

"I get it, and my answer is no. I'm a warrior past that retarded hormonal stage, Mina. I don't just sleep around."

Watching him frown, and the flicker of guilt across his face, Mina simply smiled. "It's alright, I just thought that it couldn't hurt to ask. Mako and Ami are going to be taken at some point, and I just thought I'd find them someone who would do a damned fine job of deflowering them."

"I'm flattered," he chuckled. "But no. Although… I may have an idea. My father needs a cook. You said one of them cooks. She'd be safe at his home, and under his protection."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Yes and no. I'd do it for Usagi, too. My father is Bardock." He grinned with a hint of pride when her eyes widened. "He's unmated, as I'm sure you know, and maybe he'll take an interest in your friend. Then I won't have to worry about him deciding whether or not he wants to try for the princess like all the other single males."

"You're awfully crafty for a Saiyan warrior, you know that?" She asked, poking him with a giggle. "Oh, shit, don't you have to be somewhere?" Mina asked, shooting up in the bed.

Raditz looked out the window and shook his head, but dug his scouter out of his fatigue pants anyway and put it on. "Scouter, get Usa."

"Yeah, Radu?"

"You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You get some ass, or do I have to sleep downstairs with the brats tonight?"

"Oh, I got some. And it was great," he replied with an easy grin.

Usagi heard a giggle in the background and smiled. "Wonderful. Nappa's here, and he says that the natives are out in the ring, and they're getting restless." Her smile died a little at that statement. "Broly's with them, too… and there's someone new. He just landed today. His name is Turles."

Raditz scowled, slid out of the bed, and started yanking on his fatigues. "Give me time to get my armor on, and I'll be down in a few minutes, alright? Do not go out into the ring without me. Understood? Turles is my brother; he was sent off-world just like Kakarot, but he was a teenager when it happened. He's strong. Very strong. Stronger than my father. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck!"

"Dear gods. Maybe I should just stay inside today. So much for training," she sighed.

"Just stay put, Usa, I'll be there soon." Raditz cut his scouter off and shoved it in his pocket. "Sorry about that," he said quickly to Mina. "I have to get—"

"Out to the ring, I know," she finished for him. "It's alright, I totally understand. In fact, now that I don't have to worry so much about the other warriors…" Mina snagged a clean pair of undies and shrugged them on before pulling her dress back over her head.

"Yeah, you won't have to. Don't wash up until tonight, any other warrior will smell the hint of blood from losing your virginity and think you're having your womantime. Saiyans like blood… just not that kind," he chuckled. "I have to haul ass, woman, so I'll see you around. I'll come back before dinner to meet your friend and take her to my father's if she's agreeable."

"Oh, she will be. She's been dying to get out of here." Mina pulled him to her for a quick, toe-curling kiss. "And thank you, Raditz. You were amazing."

He puffed up a little at the compliment, and nipped her bottom lip. "Same. I'll probably track you down again if the princess makes me batshit."

"Fine by me, sexy man." After she closed the door behind him, she flopped back on her bed, basking in the fact that she'd finally lost her virginity. And to a smoking hot warrior, too! And he didn't want a relationship, which was just perfect, since Mina most definitely didn't want one either. But to share her bed with him for a few hours every once in a while… now _that _was her idea of heaven.

Mina finally made her way downstairs and out into the edge of the training ring to find it fairly packed. Sweet goddess, the poor princess was in for an ass whooping today, if the word going around was any indicator. She'd always been good at blending and listening, and the word going around was that Usagi had two major challengers that day, and both of them had called first dibs on her, wanting to do the honorable thing and give her a fighting chance.

The blonde captive jumped a mile high and let out a bit of a shriek when someone roughly grabbed her arm from behind and jerked her back. "What the hell!? Let go of me!" Punching and kicking as hard as she could, she still found herself being turned to face a tall, slim warrior wearing a golden necklace and a matching pair of earrings. "I said let me go," Mina snarled, struggling against his firm grip, and trying to ignore a strange sensation in her belly at the sight of him.

"Oh." The warrior looked her up and down slowly and just stared at her for a moment. "Who are you? Where are you from? I've never seen you in the city."

"I'm Mina. Minako Ai, from Althea. I was captured before the genocide, and I'm hopefully going home soon. I just came to see the princess fight." She gave a little grin when he let her go. "I hear she's going to be beating on some guy named Broly. And Turles. Or both."

"Broly's pretty strong, but I don't think he's going to fight today." Still watching the blonde with unabashed interest, he maneuvered himself between her and the other warriors, subtly staking a claim.

"Ack, you're blocking my view, move. Oh, here she comes!" Mina grinned at the sight of the princess, but frowned quickly when the man that had accosted her made eye contact with Usagi and gave her a deep nod of respect. "Huh, do you know her or something?"

He shrugged a little. "Sort of. She's a friend."

"Oh." Why did she feel a little jealous all of a sudden? Shit, she'd just met this man, and she didn't even know his name. "Have you tried to fight her, yet?"

"I was going to today, but—"

"Come on, Broly, let's get this over with!" Usagi shouted from the center of the ring, looking directly at the man that Mina was speaking with.

"You're— oh my God, I should've known," Mina snorted angrily. "That's why you stopped me, you thought I was her."

Broly grabbed her roughly by the arm when she tried to walk away from him, back into the palace. "Come on," he ordered, dragging her behind him.

"What's this, Broly?" Usagi's eyes lost their angry sparkle as she watched her challenger drag a blonde girl along with him into the ring. "Gods, she could win the look-alike contest." She laughed when she made eye contact with the other blonde. "So, am I the evil twin, or is it you?"

"I have no clue, Highness. Frankly, I'm just trying to figure out what the fuck is going on." She gave Raditz a tiny smirk when he looked over from across the ring with an expression of mild surprise.

"I need to talk with you, princess, but I'd rather that it be in private," Broly said quickly. "I swear on my honor that I won't try to claim you."

"Your honor's good enough for me," Usagi replied, giving the other blonde a funny look. The way that Broly kept glancing back at her was a lot like the way the warrior in her dreams looked at her. Could this be Broly's mate? "In the air."

"I'll watch her," Raditz offered, stepping forward when Broly seemed at a loss as to whether he wanted to take Mina into the air with him or leave her on the ground amongst all of those warriors.

"Thank you. Stay with Raditz, he'll keep you safe."

Mina snickered when Broly shot into the air, and shook her head at Raditz. "Yeah, I know he will."

"Well, this is starting to get interesting. I'm glad I'm not jealous. Well, just a little bit, but I'll get over it." Raditz led her over to the sidelines, and let her take his seat, while he leaned on a post and watched his princess, who was high in the air, having what looked to be a very animated conversation with the male warrior. "You really have no clue, do you, woman?"

Mina just shook her head and shrugged. "Enlighten me."

"You're Broly's mate, woman. When you first saw him, did you feel this pull in your gut?" Raditz laughed and patted her leg when she nodded fearfully. "Don't worry about it, true pair-bonds can't hurt each other."

"Did you feel it—" Mina shrugged, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Raditz shook his head. "No, not with her, but it doesn't always work that way. Not all Saiyans find that one person."

"Hey, maybe you will," Mina said brightly, giving him her sunniest smile. "You deserve it, that's for damned sure. I was the high priestess of the love goddess on my planet, you know."

Raditz laughed at that. "Put in a good word for me, then. I could use it, woman."

"Actually, that was the plan. It can't hurt, at any rate." Looking up, she frowned. "Sweet goddess, what could they possibly be talking about for that long?"

"Broly's probably explaining to her why he doesn't want to fight her, and Usagi's laughing her ass off. With the way they keep looking back down and laughing, that's probably it."

"Oh." Mina looked over at him nervously. "So, what do I do when he lands and tries to drag me off caveman style?"

"Don't worry, woman. You can set your boundaries and run back into the palace. Just make sure you tell him that you're going, so he doesn't think you're running away. If you run, he'll give chase. Running means 'catch me if you can' to us Saiyan heathens. And when he catches you…"

"Ye gods."

"Broly's young enough that he probably won't try and jump you. An older Saiyan would have a hard time of not staking his claim immediately. By the way, not a word about earlier, understand? What happened with us is none of his business," he added in a hushed tone. He let out a sigh of relief when she nodded. "And speak of the devil." Raditz grinned at Usagi when she landed in front of him, smiling like a Cheshire cat at Mina.

"I have to admit, Broly, you have excellent taste," the princess remarked, when he landed beside her.

"You're too modest, Usagi," Broly drawled, once again putting himself between Mina and the other warriors. "This one's mine!" He called out to the warriors in the ring, tipped his head towards Mina, who turned five different shades of red at his announcement. "Anyone touches her, and I'll rip their hands off," he added with a growl.

"Broly, you'd better just go ahead and mark her," Usagi advised. "Girl, you're a servant in the palace, right?" Any female servant in the palace was free game if she was unmated.

"Yes, Highness," she answered, feeling a little meek and overwhelmed by all of the sudden attention. "And I don't want to be marked, if it's all the same."

The princess growled a little at that and grabbed Broly's arm, tugging him to the side. "I have an idea, hang on, girl."

After exchanging a few words, Broly and Usagi stepped back over. "You'll be my handmaiden, and you'll sleep with me at night, girl. Move your things into my room as soon as you can."

Mina gave a tiny nod, but found her gaze being pulled back to the man that she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off of. It seemed he was having the same problem.

"You two would probably like to talk, I'm sure. Broly, why don't you help her get her things together?" Usagi suggested. She shooed the two of them off towards the palace before turning back to the ring. "Alrighty then! One challenger down, due to unexpected feelings of luuurve!" Usagi proclaimed, sending everyone into bouts of hysterical laughter.

##############

"It smells like sex in here," Broly snarled.

"I'm a gorgeous servant in a palace full of randy Saiyan Elite, what do you expect?" Mina snapped at him, unable to keep from getting defensive. She threw open her windows and lit some scented candles for his benefit, while she got her meager belongings together. In "real" time, she'd only been on Vegeta-sai for a few weeks, so she hadn't had much time to acquire a lot.

"Who was he? The man that was in here today?"

Mina's head snapped around so fast that it hurt a little. "Let's get one thing straight, Broly. Raditz tried to explain to me what in the hell's going on, while you and the princess were talking in the air. He said that the pull I felt when I saw you meant something. But frankly, it doesn't mean shit if you're going to start questioning me like this. When, exactly, was the last time that _you _got laid?"

Broly frowned at that. She had a point. "A few days ago," he admitted.

"And do I have any reason to fly into a jealous cavewoman rage and try to beat the shit out of her?"

"No," he grumbled, feeling a little petulant. "I get your point."

"Well, you're not dumb, at least," she remarked tartly, venturing into her bathroom to gather up her toiletries. She brushed her teeth while she was in there, and fixed her hair, wishing that she had time to take a shower. She'd grab one once she got her things settled in the princess's quarters.

Broly was smiling a little when she returned, obviously pleased. "I suppose I should be grateful that I won't hurt you when I claim you. Since you're not a virgin, you'll enjoy our first time."

Mina turned bright red and swallowed hard. "Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you?"

"Don't worry, woman. I can smell your womantime. It just started a little while ago?"

Mina shook her head a little. "I—uh—no. Can we let the past be the past, including this morning?"

Broly was growling again, his ki flaring in his anger. "If that bastard from this morning hurt you, woman, you'd _better_ give me his name."

"Oh, sweet goddess, no! He didn't hurt me, he was actually very considerate— ye gods, this is _awkward_!" She shouted, plopping down on the end of the bed. "Sit down," she snapped suddenly, giving him the stinkeye.

Not sure what else to do when she was glaring at him like that, the warrior that was twice her size complied like a puppy that had just been yelled at. He'd hurt her feelings a little, and she was clearly bothered by all of this. Broly couldn't help but wrap an arm around her waist and scoot a little closer.

"Look, this morning… I was a virgin, ok? I was cornered by a warrior… well, not exactly cornered, but you get my drift. He didn't force me. I figured, fuck it, get it over with, you know? He was careful with me, it was good, and I never want to discuss this with you again if you want to have any hopes of…" She waved her arms a little. "… whatever this is. Ok? He's nothing but a nice memory, and we both agreed beforehand that it was just sex. Nothing more. We were both very clear on that. Ok?" She asked again, a little softer this time.

"Well, this is irony at its finest," Broly snorted after a few moments of silence.

When he chuckled a little, Mina found herself joining in, thankful that he seemed to be taking all of this fairly well. "Yeah, it is," she agreed, breaking into a full laugh that rang through the room.

Once it had died down, they could hear the sounds of fighting coming from outside, and by the sound of the crowd, Usagi was winning. "Poor girl. Is she going to have to fight Turles today, now that you've bowed out of the race?"

"That's who she's fighting right now; I can sense his ki out there with hers. She's stronger than him, though. The opponent she needed to worry about was me, but that's not going to happen now."

Mina stared at him and swallowed. "Yeah, it seems that I'm the one that has to worry about you." She leapt from the bed smoothly when he reached for her, and proceeded to scoop up all of her belongings. "Alright, I'm going to get these up to the princess's rooms. I'll see you later, I guess."

"Hell no, woman, you're not blowing me off that easily," Broly chuckled, following her right out the door and into the hallway.

"Well, you're going to be awfully bored, Broly. I'm going to set my things in her room, and then I'm going to go shower and change clothes. And no, you can't join me, either," she added hastily, when he smirked at the mention of a shower.

Usagi's rooms weren't far, and Mina located some small rooms off to the side that was obviously for handmaidens. She chose the one with the best view and a tiny balcony. The room was smaller than her previous quarters, but the bed was much softer, and the furniture more lavish. An even trade-off, really. She didn't need a ton of space.

"Now I know where to find you."

Mina frowned and turned on him. "And you'll stay the hell out of my bedroom, thank you very much."

"Heh, fine by me. I'll be more than happy to take you back to mine." Unable to resist the temptation any longer, Broly captured her lips with his own, moaning at the pull in his stomach the moment they made physical contact.

Mina felt it too, and found herself returning the kiss with just as much passion as him, despite the fact that she needed to shower and get to work. Reluctantly, she found the strength of will to gently push him away. "Sweet goddess, that was…" She shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah," he agreed hoarsely. "If you had something to do, woman, you'd better go do it now. Before I throw you down and claim you."

The glitter of raw desire in his eyes was all she needed to get moving, and she quickly snagged some clothes and a towel before shutting herself inside of Usagi's lush bathroom. "Gods, you could _swim_ in this tub!" She laughed. "Tonight," she promised herself. "I don't have time right now, but I'm damned sure going to try and swim in it later."

Mina stripped down quickly and purred with pleasure when she climbed under the hot spray. She scrubbed herself lazily, and decided that she didn't give a shit about everything else, that this bathroom was completely worth all the headache of her day since she'd met Broly. Gods, she couldn't wait to track down Mako and tell her everything that had happened so far.

"Want some help washing your hair?"

Mina screamed, and jerked the shower curtain around her to cover herself as she threw a random bottle of soap at the intruder. "You presumptuous, sneaky bastard!" She yelled. She reached for another bottle to throw at him, but he moved out of sight quickly. "Get out!"

Broly chuckled, peeking around the other end of the shower. "But why? I'm enjoying the view."

"I swear, if you don't get out of here right now and let me finish showering—"

"You'll do what?" He laughed. "Throw another bottle at me, which I can easily dodge?" Broly sighed happily as he leaned against the side of the shower and simply ate her up with his eyes. "Gods, woman, you're perfect." He gestured for her to unwrap the curtain from her body, which was barely covering her up anyway. "Just keep washing, woman. I won't do anything. I just want to look at you."

Mina blushed at the attention, and under his stare, found herself doing as she was told. His sharp intake of breath at seeing her completely bared was completely worth the embarrassment. "You'll stay over there, right?" She returned to washing her hair when he nodded, never taking his eyes off of her.

The blonde found herself moving slowly, accentuating every movement as she washed and rinsed her hair, before reaching for a cloth to wash her body again, even though she had already done so. This was quickly turning into some sort of game of seduction, her with the way she was taking her time, making his knees weak; him, with the way he simply couldn't tear his gaze away from her for a single moment, willing her with his eyes to step out of the tub and give herself to him.

Mina finally rinsed herself, and cut off the shower. "Could you hand me a towel?"

"I can dry you off with my ki. Come here." Broly pulled her into his arms and flared his ki just enough to dry her without burning her, before dragging her up against him and kissing her fiercely. "You're mine, woman," he growled, when she tried to pull away from him.

Mina shivered at his words, and nodded meekly. "Ok." She squeaked in surprise when he suddenly lifted her out of the tub and carried her to her room to dump her on the bed. "Can—can we wait, Broly? Just a couple days? Please? I just need a little time to adjust to the idea of a long-term relationship."

Broly stopped at the edge of the bed and looked away from her, clearly trying to regain some sense of control. "Alright, but only if you let me mark you."

"That's fair," she said softly. She gasped when he climbed on top of her. "Shouldn't I probably get some clothes on?"

"You can in a minute," he rasped against her throat, dragging his lips across the skin. His tongue flicked out over her pulse, and he suddenly groaned and collapsed on top of her, resting his head on her chest. "Gods, woman, you're the best thing I've ever tasted."

"Um, thank you?" Mina giggled.

"I don't know if I can mark you without losing my shit," he admitted. Broly found himself chuckling when she let out another giggle, albeit a nervous one. He kissed her shoulder, and moaned a little when he tasted her skin again.

Mina began making soothing little patterns on his back with her fingertips in an effort to calm him down. She could tell it was working by the way he was suddenly relaxing into her, a soft purr emanating from the back of his throat. "Do all Saiyans make that noise? It sounds like a big cat or something."

"Dunno what a cat is, but yeah," he mumbled contentedly. His hands were wandering now, stroking her flawless skin as she gave his back the same treatment. They moved without a goal or an intention of arousing her; he simply wanted nothing more at the moment than to touch her.

Mina gurgled with pleasure at this behavior, knowing that she could get used to this kind of idle petting. And his hands were perfect; hard and rough, a real man's hands. She nipped at his neck a little, smiling when his purr grew a little louder. Then she grew a little bolder, and when she tasted his throat, she sighed softly. "Now I see what you mean." She brushed her hair to the side from where it had fallen when she'd bent her head. "You can mark me if you want," she whispered nervously.

"Gods, woman. You're so fucking sexy." No longer able to control the Saiyan inside that was screaming at him to claim his mate, his hands now moved with a purpose, brushing her hips, her breasts, her thighs, searching out every little place they could to make her whimper with pleasure.

Broly's mouth moved as well. It started out gentle, brushing over her lips, kissing her softly. His purr intensified to a low growl when she returned it forcefully, slipping her tongue into his mouth to duel with his. His mouth broke away from hers after several moments, though, and it was exploring the golden column of her throat, kissing and licking, escalating to nipping as he neared her collarbone.

Mina moaned and arched her hips into his when he reached her shoulder, and his teeth brazenly raked over the skin. "Broly?" She'd meant it to come out as a plea to stop, but it had only sounded like a desperate whimper of need.

"You're mine," he whispered. "Say it, Mina. If you don't, we'll have to go further."

Her hands wandered to his lower back and pressed him against her tightly as her own lower body raised up once more, instinctively seeking relief. "Please, Broly."

Broly bit down lightly, drawing another moan from her, another grinding of her hips. "Say it."

"Yours," she breathed, unable to even think at that point. If he had asked her to jump off a bridge, she likely would have done it in exchange for some sort of release. Mina felt a brief flash of pain in her shoulder, followed by an indescribable wave of intense pleasure, and cried out softly, her hand going to his hair to cradle him against her. "Don't stop," she whispered. "Please don't stop."

He chuckled against the bite as he gently cleaned it with his tongue, making her shiver with every little brush of it. "No, woman, that's just the bite talking, nothing more. It'll wear off in a few minutes."

"Huh? But I thought you wanted…"

"A Saiyan male's bite to a woman's shoulder—or anywhere, most likely—makes the woman want him. It's an evolutionary mechanism, to promote breeding. To keep the female calm when the male claims her. It dates back to our less civilized times."

"Oh, men in caves, dragging women off by their hair?" She chuckled. She still felt deliciously warm and aroused, but as he said, it was starting to wear off a little.

"Something like that. Our ancestors usually didn't bother with the dragging part. We just threw them down and took them on the spot."

"How romantic," she laughed, unable to help herself. Mina lowered her voice in an attempt to sound like him, but just couldn't get her tone low enough. "Yeah, babe, you're hot. Ground's comfortable, let's fuck." That sent her into another bout of uncontrollable laughter, which was infectious enough to get a soft laugh out of Broly as well. "Sorry, I don't mean to make fun of your people," she finally said.

Still chuckling, Broly shook his head. "No, actually, that was pretty accurate."

"Thankfully the Saiyans have evolved and no longer participate in public acts of sex."

"Well, besides being softer, mating in a bed… or at least in a house… removes the discomfort of digging sand out of your asscrack." He grinned when she laughed again, the sound clean and clear in his ears. Gods, he could listen to that sound for hours and never grow tired of it.

"It—it gives a new meaning—to—rug burn!" Mina cackled, and at that, Broly was laughing for real, right along with her. "Oh goddess, my poor hoo-hoo, I can only imagine trying to make love out in the desert!" She giggled.

"Hm, maybe we could try it sometime?" He purred in her ear. "I could fly us out there, we could lay down a blanket…" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively when she giggled again and shook her head.

"I think I'll pass, Broly. The whole sand in my ass thing doesn't sound too appealing. Though…" Mina blushed furiously at the thought and shook her head. "Never mind," she said quickly.

"Oh hell no, woman. You started that sentence, you're going to damned well finish it." He grinned and nipped at her mark, making her moan, when she pursed her lips shut and refused to continue. "Come on, Mina, you can tell me," he chuckled.

His tongue broke her resolve when it dipped lower to the underside of her breast. "Gods, Broly. The—the flying part," she whispered, arching in an invitation to suck.

Broly gracefully acknowledged the offer, coaxing a hoarse cry from her throat. "You like that?"

"Yeah," she gasped.

He bit down lightly before looking back up at her. "So, what about the flying, beautiful?" He grinned devilishly when she blushed again, gazing down at him with half-lidded eyes. "Oh, that. Hm, that's kind of kinky, woman. And I'd be more than happy to give it a try in the future."

They both jumped a little and Broly growled when there was a knock at the door.

"No fucking in my chambers, thank you!" Usagi called brightly. "I'd rather not smell sex in my rooms!"

"What if we just hang my ass over the balcony railing and close the doors to the inside?" Mina laughed, grinning at Broly when his jaw dropped in surprise at her words. She slid out from under him and quickly pulled on some clothes, making sure that her underwear were cute and matched her bra.

"Then by all means, girl, let your flag fly high!" Usagi replied. "But don't be surprised if you wind up with an audience."

Fully dressed, Mina swung the door open and beamed. "I like you already, Highness. You can talk some real shit."

"Same," the princess chuckled, poking her head into the room to grin at Broly. "Sorry to break up the tender moment, but Raditz said something about meeting one of Mina's friends?" She raised her brows, wondering if the male Saiyan had a clue what her night guard could be talking about.

Broly shrugged, and looked to Mina for an explanation.

"Oh, shit, I forgot!" Mina gave a quick little bow to the princess. "Do you have a communication device I could use for a moment?"

"Yeah, sure. And don't bow, Mina. Or call me Highness. I'm Usagi, to you." She pulled out her scouter and handed it over. "I'll get you one as soon as I get a chance. Just tell it where you want to call."

Mina put it on and blinked at the screen. It was all in the Saiyan language. "Uh… kitchens, please?" When it didn't respond, she shook her head. "I don't speak Saiyan yet, sorry."

"Oh, of course." Usagi leaned forward and gave the scouter a command, and the screen immediately patched through to someone in the kitchens.

"Uh… hi, sorry to bother," the new handmaiden said meekly. "I need Mako upstairs in Her Highness's chambers immediately."

"Right away," the woman on the other end responded.

Mina folded the scouter back up and returned it. "Thank you, Usagi. Raditz said something about his father needing a cook, and my friend Mako is the best cook I've ever met."

"Oh, ok. That totally makes sense, now. Gods, Raditz is clever. You do realize that if you friend and Bardock hit it off, she'll be bitten and bedded within a couple days, right? You sure you want her tied down like that?"

Mina grinned and shook her head. "Obviously, you've never met Mako. No man can take her unless she wants him to. Or unless he feels like getting electrocuted."

Broly shook his head. "Huh? Sorry, beautiful, but I'm confused."

"Ami, Mako, and myself were captured from Althea, and while we can't fight with ki, we can fight with the elements. Some are better than others, obviously. I believe that there's an Althean half-breed in this city somewhere that uses fire, but I've never met her."

"Rei," Broly and Usagi said together, both of them snickering. "No one can take her," Broly explained. "All of them wind up with various parts of their anatomy on fire if they even try."

Mina laughed at that and nodded. "So you get it, then. Mako uses lightning. No one fucks with her and walks away… but lately the warriors have been getting pretty creative at cornering her. Ami uses ice and water, which can be pretty effective most of the time."

"You?" Broly asked curiously.

She shrugged, embarrassed. "Light and wind. Not very good for fighting, but it's good for other stuff. I was also the high priestess to the love goddess."

"Any other gifts that people on your planet have?" Usagi asked curiously, taking a seat on a small couch.

Mina nodded. "Yeah, it just depends on the parents, really. We have people who can do some really freaky shit, with some really destructive powers. My friend Taru is one of them. I don't even know if my planet still exists, though. Then we have healers, too… wait a—you can heal, can't you? Are you part Althean, maybe?"

Usagi shook her head. "I don't know. I never knew my father, and that subject is a taboo matter. You'd do well to never mention it outside of this room, or Father will beat you six ways from Sunday. I would rather not discuss it, either."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend, princess. Usagi," she corrected herself quickly.

"It's ok, I'm not mad. I just thought I'd give you fair warning." There was a knock at the door, and all of their heads turned. "Enter."

A tall brunette opened the door and peeked her head in meekly, until she spied Mina, and all the meekness washed away into a mischievous grin. "Mina!" Completely oblivious to her audience, she rushed forward and hugged her friend, babbling on in their native language.

Broly finally cleared his throat after a solid minute, and Mako looked around blushing. She quickly bowed. "Princess, forgive me, I meant no disrespect." She looked up, expecting punishment, to find Usagi wearing a wry smile. "Wait, I'm not going to get my ass beat?"

"Well, with what we have in mind, you may or may not. That will depend entirely on how you handle the situation." Usagi turned her head and called over her shoulder for Raditz, who she knew was standing guard outside the door.

"Yeah, Usa."

"This is Mina's friend… Mako?" She smiled when the girl nodded, confirming that she'd gotten the name right. "She's going to be the new cook for Bardock, if she's agreeable to the task."

"Bardock?" A mix of surprise and apprehension were written all over her face, but not wanting to get in trouble for refusing an assignment, she pulled a pad of paper and a pencil from her apron packet and sat down on the couch next to the princess. She didn't totally like the idea of working for a Saiyan warrior, since she hated almost all of them, but she wanted to get out of the palace. "Well, what kind of food does he like?"

Usagi moved to let Raditz take a seat while he went over the list, which was surprisingly short. However, the directions for two particular dishes were complicated, and the princess observed the girl with admiration whenever she'd nod, make a few notes, and declare that she could probably make that work with the right ingredients. "I may have to have you cook for me sometime," Usagi finally admitted. "You sure sound like you know what you're doing in a kitchen."

"Yes, princess, I do," she replied with pride. "I'm the best cook I've ever met."

"Think pretty highly of yourself, there, huh?" She chortled, joined by Mina and Broly. Raditz, though, only looked nervous, and with good reason. Bardock was either going to take having hired help very well… or very, very badly.

"Well, I hope you can clean, too," the guard sighed. "Please don't be offended or upset by my father's house. He took Mother's passing pretty hard."

"Oh, wow." Mako looked up and frowned sadly. "I'm really sorry about your mom, that must have been hard."

"Yeah," he admitted roughly. "But a lot harder on Father than any of us. I'll take you there when you're ready, perhaps you can surprise him with something good to eat when he gets back from training. He might take the fact that I'm forcing a housekeeper on him a little better if there's food involved."

"Typical man," Mako snorted, making a couple notes on her pad. "I'll go get my things, ok? And I can finally tell that pompous bitch in the kitchens to take a flying fuck," she added to herself. "Be back in a second."

"Didn't you have another friend, woman? One that we could force off on Turles, perhaps? I want to clear the field of any worrisome opponents."

"Like me?" Broly chuckled, wrapping his arm and tail around Mina's waist.

"Feh, that one wasn't planned, but I'm not complaining," Raditz chuckled, completely over losing a possibly regular lover to the other Saiyan. She looked happy enough, and that's what mattered. Raditz could easily find another lay somewhere in the palace if he felt the urge.

"I hate to ask, Raditz, but what if your father doesn't go for your plans?"

"As far as my father is concerned, there's no such thing as a plan involved, girl. If he feels a pull towards Mako, all for the good. If not, at least he's fed properly and living in a clean house. Now… my brother. He likes his women quiet, but he likes a woman that's smart and can think for herself. He's got a temper, so she's going to have to know when to pick her battles. You know anyone?"

Mina laughed at that and nodded. "Sounds like Ami would fit the bill perfectly. She's working in the palace labs, down in the basement. She's a total nerd, she never leaves except to eat and shower. I don't even think I've ever seen her sleep in her own quarters. She keeps a cot downstairs in the back of the lab. She's going to be harder," the blonde continued, leaning into Broly when he stroked the back of her neck. "You'll have to make up some excuse to get her out of her hole, or an excuse to send Turles down there… mmm… stop that, Broly, I'm trying to think."

"That's what I smelled burning," all three Saiyans said simultaneously.

"Eh, shut up," Mina replied good-naturedly. "Ami sometimes pulls shifts in the infirmary whenever they desperately need the help. She's a fully trained doctor, after all. But she's horribly introverted, so she only helps when they absolutely need it."

"Well, that's easy enough to solve. I can arrange for your friend to be working in the infirmary that day, and put Turles in the dirt with extreme prejudice…" Usagi rubbed her jaw at that thought, it was sounding better and better after the way Raditz's brother had managed to sock her in the mouth earlier. "…or I could simply call her up here right now to look at my jaw. Which is pretty much fine," she added, when Raditz gave her a worried look. "Then I could make her my handmaiden, since Mina's quickly on the way out. She could also be my personal physician."

"Oh, I can't be mated and work for you, too?" Mina frowned when Usagi shook her head.

"Not as a handmaiden. Sorry, but Broly isn't sleeping over in my chambers," Usagi snorted. "I know a few people who would have a mild shit fit over that… including myself. No offense, Broly."

"None taken, princess. I wouldn't want all the noise to keep you awake," he added with a grin.

"Oh, you're noisy?" Mina laughed.

"Sometimes. But nothing compared to how loud you're going to be."

"Ick, you two, dear _gods_," Usagi huffed. She dug out her scouter, told it to call the lab, and handed it to Mina. "Here, handmaiden, do something useful and tell your friend to come up here," she huffed. "All this lovey-dovey shit is about to make me throw up."

Mina quickly slipped the scouter on and grinned at Ami, who was already waiting and was clearly wondering what was going on. "Ami!" Mina then started babbling at a ridiculously fast clip in their native language, pausing only occasionally for Ami to talk, and after a few minutes she handed the scouter back to Usagi. "She'll be up in a minute, she's got something or other on some sort of timer and has to wait a few. Hope you don't mind."

Broly leaned in and nibbled on her ear, wondering if he could make her crazy enough to start speaking in Althean. Even going a mile a minute in that language, it had sounded sexy as hell coming out of her mouth. He grinned when Usagi shot him a look. "Sorry, princess. I can't help myself in the face of such beauty."

"You're helping yourself quite enough as it is, Broly, and to my handmaiden, at that. After I meet your doctor friend, you're dismissed for the night, Mina. I assume you'll be staying with Broly, if I need you?"

"Um, uh… I was going to just stay here, if that's ok," Mina said quickly, taking a step away from her future mate.

"Nonsense, Mina," Usagi said with a grin, flopping down on the couch next to Raditz. "You two go enjoy yourselves, and if you wind up mated, it's perfectly alright." Ah, payback was a bitch, for making her stand there and watch the two of them flirt and exchange little touches and nudges.

"Ok, I'm back!" Mako announced, barging right in like she owned the place. "Supper's in an hour, so let's get moving, warrior. Even I need a half-hour to prepare something edible."

Raditz groaned and shook his head. Bardock was going to have his hands full with this one, even if he didn't decide to bed her. "In that case, we'll pick something up. That kitchen isn't suitable for cooking in just yet, and I doubt you'll be able to get it clean in time."

The cook stuck out her tongue briefly in disgust and made a face. "Gods, it's that bad? Maybe we should pick up some cleaning supplies, too."

"And groceries," Usagi added, tipping her head backwards to look at them. "I'd be surprised if Bardock's eating anything but takeout and that gross instant shit."

**I simply couldn't find a good place to cut this chapter off at, so it's awfully long. I hope yall like it though! Yes, the Senshi are in this fic, but I'm still writing those parts, so expect a delay in updating, depending on how nuts my kids make me when I'm trying to write. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, yall, there is a scene in here that is very mild for M, but is still M all the same. So if you don't like it, don't read it! I'd tell you who it's gonna be, but I don't wanna spoil it! And if you do like mild smut, please enjoy! :D Also, please remember that I very much love reviews, and would very much love to actually get some! I see how many page views this story gets, yall!**

"Alright, monkey man. Spill it."

Vegeta looked up at Bulma and stared her down, but as usual, his glare didn't even phase her. That was the same look he'd given thousands of enemies, and it had never failed to make them shake with fear and come close to soiling themselves.

Until he'd come to live at Capsule Corp, that is.

As usual, Vegeta wasn't talking. Big fucking surprise. Bulma rubbed at the circles under her eyes and took a sip of her coffee before sliding him the second cup she'd brought over for him. "Vegeta, you haven't been sleeping, and when you do, you talk in your sleep in your native language. Loudly." Bulma cringed a little before she spoke again, knowing that his reaction to her next statement could likely result in a nuclear explosion. "Are you having nightmares about Frieza again?"

That was one subject that she'd sworn she'd never bring up. When Vegeta had first moved into Capsule Corp, Bulma had helped him through the night terrors that he would have on a regular basis. Some nights he was downright scary, he would rant in his sleep in Saiyan, sometimes angry, sometimes sad. He'd even cried a couple of times, like he had when he'd died. The nightmares had faded after a couple of weeks, thankfully. The prince has actually thanked her, but then that arrogant little bastard had sworn to blast her to Hell and back if she ever mentioned the dreams again.

Asshole.

Vegeta huffed, and shook his head, no longer glaring at her. He sipped at his coffee for a few moments, and Bulma was sure he wasn't going to speak on the matter. But finally, he opened his mouth. "When I was a brat, there was a girl…"

Bulma smiled gently at the slight flush to his cheeks. So, those hadn't been moans of _terror_, huh? Now it made total sense! "What was her name?"

"Usagi. She was sent off-world with our brother when she was thirteen. She was my step-sister, technically. But never my sister."

Bulma nodded understandingly, and stayed quiet while Vegeta just continued to drink his coffee in silence. The genius didn't know if he was going to continue or not, but she wasn't going to push him.

"I know she's still alive," he finally said softly. "And I've been dreaming about her, almost every night."

"They sounded like _really_ good dreams," Bulma chuckled.

"Oh, they were," Vegeta confirmed, his lips twitching up in a tiny smirk. "But why now? I haven't had those kinds of dreams since I was a teenager."

"I dunno," Bulma replied. She thought it over for a moment, then gave a shrug. "I have a theory, though." When Vegeta motioned for her to continue, she took a long drink of her coffee while she sorted out her thoughts. "Goku wished for everyone that was killed as a result of Frieza's existence to be wished back to life. That surely included Vegeta-sai, right? Maybe… you never really talked about your past an awful lot, except for those nights… but what about your father? Surely he would send out a search party to find her and your brother?"

"Most likely. If they're still even there. If Usa's or Tarble's scouters are still intact, they could be tracked."

"Would your father send someone out to find you?" Bulma ventured curiously. "You are the prince, after all."

Vegeta gave a tiny nod. "I'm counting on it, actually."

######################

Mako turned on the light in Bardock's house and nearly ran out screaming. Or, she would have, but Raditz was there, blocking the door, and her exit.

"I know it looks bad."

"_Looks_ bad! Ye gods, Raditz, this is _awful_!" Mako rolled up her sleeves and immediately went to work, picking up discarded pieces of clothing as she worked her way around the main room. Clean or dirty, it all went in one pile. She was _not_ smelling anything to confirm its cleanliness. Only the gods knew what was growing in some of those pants.

"Fucking men… they're so disgusting… makes me sick… kick his fucking ass…" The ranting went on and on as she continued to pile up the clothes, before moving on to the dishes stacked on the table in front of the couch.

"You are talking about my father, girl," Raditz snorted, grinning from ear to ear. If his father wound up attracted to this girl, gods, it was going to be fun watching her bitch at him! Mako clearly was not going to tolerate a slob, and his father was one of the worst slobs on Vegeta-sai.

"Feh," Mako grunted. "No offense to you, Raditz, but I'll talk about him all I fucking want if I'm having to pick all of _this_ up. Where's the kitchen?" She asked, balancing a stack of dishes.

Raditz nodded towards the door in the back of the living room. Mako went in, and the guard came running when he heard her scream. "What, what's wrong, girl!?" He looked around, and slipped out of his fighting stance when there was clearly no danger. "What?" He snapped.

"Oh. My. **GOD**!" The cook screamed, looking around at the mess. And mess was a fucking understatement. A large ki blast _had_ to have, _**must **_have, struck this kitchen at some point. That was the _only _fucking way a kitchen could possibly wind up looking so destroyed. Swearing in Althean loudly and frequently, Mako set the dishes next to the sink, since it was already overflowing, and got to work on the kitchen table, which was also covered in glasses and plates. "I'm going to _kill_ your father," she snarled in Saiyan, when she spied leftover food lying out on the table. It was clearly several days old.

"He's a pig. I know. Mother kept him in line pretty well, but…" Raditz shrugged, not wanting to discuss his mother.

"Feh, that's right," she sighed heavily, losing much of her anger towards Bardock. "Thank you for reminding me that he's still mourning his mate. It'll make it easier not to strangle him until he's purple." She pointed her finger towards the lightswitch, and with a little blue jolt, it came on. "Cleaning supplies."

"Under the sink," he grunted.

Mako looked in the cabinet and frowned, wiped her hands on her apron, and pulled out her little notebook. After writing down a list, she handed it to Raditz. "I'd get it myself, but I don't have any credits, being a captive and all. Grab those things for me when you pick up supper, please." She paused. "Sorry, I don't mean to order you around. I'm a bit of a clean freak, and you can probably tell that I'm trying not to run screaming right out the door."

Raditz chuckled and nodded. "It's alright, I assure you." He pointed to the right. "The washer and dryer are in there, would you like me to load them? That's a lot of clothes, and they looked heavy."

"Sure, knock yourself out," she said brightly, grateful for the help. It's not like she expected any from a Saiyan warrior. Cleaning was woman's work on this planet, and Bardock obviously agreed.

"All of it's in," Raditz finally said. "Mother purchased one of those huge washers and dryers years ago. I can't blame her. With two sons to raise and a husband, we always produced a lot of filthy training fatigues. "Come with me, before I take off to get food and cleaning stuff."

Mako followed him once she'd finished sorting out the stacks of dishes and cleaning the table with Bardock's meager supplies.

"Bathroom. Sorry, but there's only one."

"Must've been hell in the morning growing up in this house," she giggled.

"Nah. We let Mother have it first, and if we had to piss, we went out back. An advantage of being male means that you can piss standing up."

"I'm green with envy."

Raditz laughed at that, and opened a door down the hall. "This was my old room, do whatever you want to it, it's yours, now. Father's room is on the other end, past the bathroom. I don't even want to know how filthy it is, honestly."

"Ugh, let me check it out," Mako groaned, leading the way. She groaned a little at the pile of clothes at the end of the bed, but it wasn't nearly as bad as she expected. It needed to be dusted and swept badly, but the sheets looked fairly clean. "Hm, what's that, scented candles? It smells great in here."

Raditz's eyes went wide at that, and he fought to school his expression. The last thing he needed was to grin like a total idiot at her statement and have her figure out the plan. "Maybe," he lied. He knew damned well his father didn't use any of that sissy shit in his home; Mako was merely enjoying Bardock's scent. That was a very good sign.

"Alright, girl, that's the tour. Anything you need to add to the list?"

Mako nodded sharply and took the paper from him before scribbling down some things for the bathroom, and a new mop and broom. "I really hope I'm not asking for too much, sorry. That's the bare minimum."

"Not at all. I'm Usa's night guard, so I'm well paid. I'll also pick up enough food to get you through tomorrow, and I'll make sure to leave you enough credits to do some heavy-duty grocery shopping."

"Wow, thank you! And with that, I'm going to go tackle that kitchen, even though the thought of it makes me gag…" She marched right past him, cutting on lights as she went, surveying the damage and making mental notes for where she needed to clean once she was done with the kitchen. The kitchen was the priority, no one was eating in that thing if she could very well help it.

She took a break, though, once she was halfway through with the dishes, to let some pans soak. There was no way in hell that kitchen was going to be ready in time, so she settled for scrubbing the table in the living room and dusting the couch. She swept the floor in there next, and by the time she returned to the kitchen, the living room actually looked respectable.

################

Usagi turned her head when there was a knock at her door, and rolled her eyes. "About damned time. Come in," she called. Her jaw dropped and she stared stupidly at the blue-haired woman that stepped into her room, dressed in a white lab coat.

Blue. Hair.

Holy shit.

"Princess? What's wrong?" The doctor asked worriedly, rushing to her side to check her vital signs.

"I—uh—" Usagi finally managed to close her mouth, and when she did, she grinned broadly. "Oh, you're in so much _**trouble**_!" She laughed.

"Princess?" It was the doctor's turn to look at her a little stupidly, since she had no clue what she meant.

"It makes total sense now, doc. The fact that he couldn't find you anywhere, even after he searched all of the rooms in that wing, how you never showed up for mess, or used the public baths."

"Highness, I have no clue what you're talking about," Ami huffed indignantly. "Please explain, or I'm heading back. I have far too much work to do to play guessing games."

"You're becoming my handmaiden," Usagi replied brightly, standing as she dropped the news and gave her a pat on the arm. When the doctor just snorted at her and shook her head, Usagi chuckled. "Well, Ami, you have two choices. You can become my handmaiden, which offers you protection from all of the males on the planet, or you can go back down to your little cave and I can inform Nappa of your whereabouts."

When Ami gaped at her in shock, Usagi's smile became smug. "That's right, Blue, you've been found. I was the other person on the veranda with Nappa this morning, while you two were making googly eyes at each other." She suddenly frowned. "You know, that's not very nice, either."

"What's not nice?"

"Fucking with a Saiyan male's emotions like that, especially one his age. Don't tell me that you didn't feel that pull in your gut when you first saw him. He told me he felt it when he first caught sight of you a few weeks ago."

"Oh? Yes," she said softly, "I felt this strange… I don't know what it was. It was like a fluttering in my stomach, though. I'm afraid I don't know an awful lot about Saiyans, Highness, I've been down in the lab for nearly all of my time here."

"So I've heard," Usagi responded dryly. "That's going to change, though, girl. Move your things up here. Don't worry, I'm not going to keep you from the lab, but you can hardly be considered my handmaiden unless you're sleeping up here."

"But, what about Minako? She told me that she's your handmaiden. In fact, where is she?" Ami sat down on the couch, feeling awfully confused and cornered.

"Mina's been claimed by Broly, and will likely be mated by the end of the day. It's her choice," Usagi added quickly, when Ami suddenly glared at her. Good, it seemed the doctor had some backbone lurking in there somewhere. "My handmaidens all have complete protection from being claimed against their will. It's the only reason I'm bothering to take any. I may as well use my status to do some good."

"So, I become your handmaiden, and that warrior I've been watching will leave me alone?"

Usagi leaned against the wall for support, she was laughing so hard. "Oh, gods, no! Nappa isn't going to leave you alone for a damned minute, woman. But being my handmaiden will at least keep you from being bedded before you're ready. I give you a week before he finally seduces you."

Ami reddened all the way to her ears at that assumption. "I guess I have no choice but to take your offer," she sighed in defeat. "I'll go get my things, Highness."

Feeling like she'd just kicked a small puppy, Usagi sighed and gave the woman a hug. "Cheer up, Nappa's a big ol' softie. And I was serious, Ami, you can work in the labs all you want, so long as I don't need you. Hang on, I've got something for you." Usagi walked off for a second, dug through her drawers, and pulled out a medallion on a gold chain. "There. Put this on. If any male stops you, just show him this. It marks you as a body servant of the royal family. It makes you untouchable, and with my reputation, _no one_ is going to risk my wrath," she stated with a savage grin.

Amy slid the chain over her head and nodded. "Thank you, Highness."

"Usagi. I hate being called Highness and princess. Just call me Usagi, or Usa. Either's fine." She looked up. "Oh shit, woman."

"What?" The doctor asked curiously.

"Guess who's outside my door, right at this very moment?"

"Oh shit," Ami whispered, and ducked behind the princess just as the door swung open.

"Nappa!" Usagi yelled cheerfully, beaming so broadly that the bald Saiyan immediately knew something was up. "What's going on?" She asked sweetly.

"Where is the real Usagi, and what have you done with her?" Nappa asked, smirking. He could tell someone was hiding behind her, so either this was going to be very bad, or very amusing. Then he watched a face peek out from behind her, framed in a halo of blue hair.

"Surprise," Usagi purred, "and she's a handmaiden of mine, now, so don't even think of going all caveman on her."

"But, Highness!" Nappa yelled, his tone bordering on a whine. He couldn't even look at Usagi, he was so focused on the girl that was to be his mate. The tugging in his stomach was so strong that it was impossible to ignore. He wanted her, and he wanted her _now_, damn it.

"Tell you what, Nappa. Let me give you some time alone. Sound fair?"

"No!" Ami squeaked, ducking behind the princess once more. "Please, Highness, no," she whispered, quaking in fear.

Usagi frowned at the woman's obvious terror, and turned her head to look at her. "Ami, he won't hurt you. He's your mate. You don't want to at least talk to him, get to know him a little? Without me in the room to eavesdrop? He won't touch you while you're in here." She turned back to look at Nappa. "Will you?"

Nappa swallowed hard, leashing his desire. "You have my word," he said evenly.

"Nappa's a man of strict honor, Ami. You're safe, ok? Just scream if you need me," she chuckled, quickly stepping out of the room before the girl could grab her and insist on her staying.

Ami instead backpedaled until she was pressed against the wall, feeling a little safer at a distance of twenty feet.

Nappa didn't move to close the gap, since he knew all too well that he would likely break his promise if he got so much as an inch closer to her. If he took even one step, he wouldn't be able to keep himself from taking another, and another, until he was pressing her against that wall and taking her without restraint. "So, Blue, where have you been hiding?"

Ami swallowed and eyed the door, wondering just how fast she could move to get away. If push came to shove, she could freeze him with her abilities, but she truthfully didn't want to hurt him. "The lab," she choked.

"Feh, I knew I should have looked there," he grumbled, mostly to himself. "Usagi and I saw you this morning, as I'm sure you know. She's pretty smart; she helped me realize that the lab and the infirmary were the only places you could be hiding, where you could eat without ever leaving to go to mess, and hide from most of the Saiyan males."

"I don't ever really leave," she admitted, relaxing a little, since it was clear that he wasn't going to pounce on her. She studied him now that she was wasn't shaking with fear; he had to be almost two feet taller than her, and was composed of little else but bulging, corded muscles, covered in scars, both old and new.

"What kind of work do you do down there?" Nappa asked curiously. It must be interesting if she never left.

"Testing, mostly, on my people's gifts. I'm a waterwalker. I do other stuff, too, but that's top secret work for the king. I also help out in the infirmary on occasion."

"Hm, I just might have to let Usa beat me down a few times, if it means I get to see you," he flirted, drinking her in with his eyes. He could drown in those dark blue orbs.

"You can see me just fine from way over there, thank you very much," she replied, lifting her chin just a hair in defiance. Ami glared at him when he actually smiled. "You think this is funny?"

"No, not at all, Blue. I'm just glad to see that bit of attitude under the scared little woman I saw when I walked in here. I knew I couldn't feel the pull for a sissy girl."

"Well, feel the pull all you want, because that's _all _you'll be feeling," she replied. "And stop looking at me like that."

"Hey, I never promised not to look, Blue. And frankly, I'm enjoying the view."

"Well, your viewing time is up, Nappa," she stated firmly, edging towards the closest door, which had to be a handmaiden's bedroom.

He visibly shivered at the sound of his name coming out of her mouth, and his eyes narrowed as he noticed her planned escape. Nappa was quick as lightning, blocking her retreat. "Oh no, Blue. You're not going anywhere."

"Move," she ordered, clenching her fists at her side.

"And if I don't?" Nappa asked with mild amusement.

"How would you like some frostbite on your balls?" The doctor asked seriously.

Oh, this woman was fun! "Only if you're going to thaw them out with your mouth." He grinned when she turned bright red at the idea. Nappa slowly stepped to the side, no longer barring her from the handmaidens' quarters. "Ah," he said quickly, stopping her before she could leave. "Fair warning, Blue, I'm following you wherever you go, so you might want to rethink your choice of venue."

"What do you mean by that?" Ami asked suspiciously.

"What I mean, is that the handmaidens' rooms are small, and consist of little other than a bed… so if I follow you in there, you're only setting yourself up," Nappa answered firmly, unable to wipe the smirk from his face.

She groaned a little at that, and sagged against the wall, sitting down on the floor. "Fine then, we'll stay in here and talk." Ami suddenly wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid, shit-eating grin off his face. "So, how old are you?"

A tiny little smile flickered across her mouth when he flushed and grunted. "I'm sorry, Nappa, I didn't hear your answer. Usagi said that I shouldn't be messing with the emotions of a Saiyan _your age_. So, just how old are you?"

"Eighty-seven," he huffed. "You, woman?"

"Twenty-seven. Talk about your age gap," she laughed.

"Saiyans are long-lived, woman. I'm in my prime. And if you don't believe that, I'd be more than happy to prove it," he added.

The door opened, and Usagi entered once more, grinning at Nappa's frown and Ami's naked look of relief. "Ok, I have another challenge coming up, so if you want to go get your stuff, Ami, this would be a good time."

The blue-haired doctor climbed to her feet and nodded. "Yes, that would be good. I have things that I need to check on in the lab, anyway. Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime, Usagi?"

"You can keep Nappa company, if that's alright. I have to head over to the ink master's with Father after I leave the ring, so I may be awhile. Nappa, make sure she gets a scouter while you're escorting her, alright?"

"Not a problem, girl. Who's challenging you this time?"

"Turles again," Usagi growled, fluffing her hair in frustration. "That warrior is a glutton for punishment, I'm telling you."

"That makes, what? Five challenges just today? I don't think I approve of you going back out to fight, girl. You should stay in here and rest," Nappa said, not bothering to mask his concern. "Maybe I should call Bardock and have him order his brat to be a bit more honorable."

"Feh, leave Bardock alone, he's had more than enough on his hands since Romayna passed."

"You know what your problem is, Usa? You go too fucking easy on these challengers. Beat the shit out of him, and put him in the tank for a week. If that doesn't knock some sense into the brat, at least it'll give you some time to train." Nappa smirked when his student sighed and nodded in defeat. "That's more like it. Go out there and put that boy's balls in his throat."

Ami moved to leave while the two slipped into planning a strategy as if they'd done it a million times, and nearly made it to the door when she felt a large, warm hand gripping her upper arm. The touch made her stomach feel funny and sent a shiver—was that desire she felt?—running down her spine.

Usagi chuckled at the intense effect that such a little touch from Nappa was having on Ami. Most likely, the girl had had an idea of what was happening for the last few weeks, and had been drawn back to that balcony every day to catch a glimpse of him. After staying a good distance from him for so long, she'd probably been having some interesting dreams as well. Ami was going to have just as hard a time of resisting the pull as Nappa.

So much for getting a new handmaiden. Usagi gave Nappa an hour before he found somewhere private to corner the poor little doctor and seduce the hell out of her.

"Where do you think you're going, woman?"

"To go get my things." Ami blinked, trying to shake the urge to step a little closer to him.

"Go with her, Nappa, I have to change clothes and get outside."

"Yes, Highness."

Ami darted out the door at that, and quickly made tracks to the lab, taking shortcuts that not many knew about except for herself. She looked back, and seeing no sign of him, she grinned. Heh, he'd eaten her dust.

The doctor used her voice to order the computer to let her into the lab, and her handprint to get further in, where her pet projects and a tiny room with a double bed lay. "Home again, home again," she sang softly. Unable to help herself, Ami went to the worktable and examined the slides that contained her own blood samples, followed by samples from Mina and Mako.

"Different, but same," she grumbled. Then she looked at some Saiyan samples, and marveled at how similar they were to Mako's. "Maybe ki is the same sort of power type as lightning," she mused. "It would make—"

"You're awfully sexy in that lab coat."

Ami froze, and gripped the dial on the microscope. "How did you get in here? This room requires the highest level clearance in the palace."

"Woman, I've had high-level clearance since I trained with King Vegeta's father. I'm the most trusted of the king's men." He glanced around and huffed. "So, this is where you've been hiding?"

"I've hardly been hiding," she replied casually, masking her unease by focusing on her work. At least until she felt his hand stroking the back of her neck. Ami trembled a little at the skin-to-skin contact, and her eyes fluttered shut as his fingertips slipped forward to stroke her jawline. "I—I thought you swore you wouldn't touch me," she whispered.

"While you were in Usagi's chambers," he replied just as softly.

Ami gave a helpless little moan when his lips replaced his fingers, and his hands went to her hips, pulling her back against him. "Nappa, please…"

"Virgin?" He asked, as his hands began to wander up her shirt to cup her. Gods, she wasn't wearing a bra.

"No, but… please…" She arched into his hands when they began to stroke her lightly, the gentle way he was touching her completely at odds with what she knew he was capable of.

"I want you," he purred in her ear, using his teeth to tug her lab coat to the side. Good, she was only wearing a thin blue camisole beneath it, one that barely covered her shoulder. "I'm sorry that I can't wait, but I've already waited too long, woman." Nappa bit down then, before she could get away, moaning at the taste of her blood in his mouth and crushing her back against his chest as he kept her from struggling.

She tasted so good that he could have wept if he hadn't been Saiyan.

Once the initial pain had ebbed, Ami's eyes slipped shut as his tongue rasped over the bite mark, sending swirls of pleasure through her to join the delicious heat that was already rising up. She knew he felt her surrender, because he was already turning her, tipping her onto the workbench, while his hands began to impatiently remove her clothing. "Nappa."

"I'll go as slow as you want the next time, woman, but I've waited too damned long. I need you right now," he groaned.

"I know," she whispered, wrapping her long legs around his waist. "And I don't want you to stop, but…"

"But?" He asked, just as he'd finally gotten that infuriating button on her shorts unfastened.

"Bed."

"Where?" The shorts were off now, and he was tugging at his armor, pulling it over his head.

"Door."

Nappa carried her where she wanted to go, her legs locked around him as he pushed the door open with his foot and tipped her onto the bed, landing on top of her. His mouth was on her throat again, working down to her breasts as he quickly unbuttoned her shirt and slid her panties down her hips. "Gods, you're so fucking beautiful," he moaned. Now that she was bare, his hands and mouth were lighting her on fire, trying to prepare her for what was coming, even if he couldn't let the foreplay go on too long.

Ami gasped when she felt him pressing at her entrance, and huffed with impatience when he wasn't taking her hints, as she tried to tug at his shoulders to make him bring his head further up.

"What, woman?" Nappa asked hoarsely.

"Aren't you…" She shook her head a little. "Don't Saiyans kiss?"

Nappa looked up at her with a tiny smirk. "Not in my younger days, no. It's a relatively new fad for my people." Relative meaning only about thirty or forty years, of course. He bent his head and slid down her a little to run his mouth over her flat stomach, dipping his tongue into her navel for a brief moment. "Would you like me to kiss you while I take you?" He purred.

"Yeah," she gasped, "so get up here, Nappa."

Nappa was more than happy to oblige her, and bent his head to nip at her lower lip. "This is how Saiyans kiss." He nipped at it again, gently, as he slowly filled her, causing them both to moan with pleasure.

Ami slid her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down so she could show him how it was really done, and began to explore his mouth with her own. He was a quick study, and began to move his lips over hers, relishing this new experience.

Nappa purred as her tongue flicked over his lower lip, sliding along the seam of his mouth, and he opened to her as he began to move, sinking into pure bliss. He was really starting to appreciate kissing, it was no wonder it had caught on so well among the Saiyans. "I don't think I'll last very long," he admitted, groaning as he withdrew and thrust forward. "Gods, woman, you feel so damned good."

"It's alright," she gasped. "I know it's been awhile." Truth be told, she wasn't a virgin, but damn if it didn't hurt a little. The man was definitely proportional to his height. Ami simply clutched at his back and tried not to whimper at the mixture of pain and pleasure as he moved inside of her at what was likely a very gentle pace for him, but a bit of a pounding for her.

Once Nappa had taken his pleasure, he looked down at her and frowned. "That was hardly fair for you, woman."

Ami managed a tiny smile, despite the throbbing between her legs. "You can make it up to me, I'm sure."

He moved a little, fairly sure he could go again if she wanted to, but froze and scowled when she winced. "I hurt you." Nappa nuzzled her throat and nipped at it lightly, while his hands wandered her in a soothing motion. "I'm sorry, Ami. You should have said something."

She shivered at the sound of her name coming out of his mouth, and pressed her lips to his. "Nappa, it's ok. You're just a lot bigger than me. It's to be expected."

"No, it's not," he growled in frustration. "During the weeks I've watched you on that balcony, I've done nothing but think of making you stupid with pleasure." He withdrew then, and rolled her on top of him, holding her tightly while he thought for a moment. Then he grinned, and nipped where he'd bitten her.

Ami jumped when she felt something fuzzy moving up her thigh to stroke her intimately, and made a little noise of delight. "I'd always wondered if those tails were functional."

"What do you mean, Blue?" He chuckled.

"Well, I always see them wrapped around your waists, but that's it. I've never actually seen one of them move." She gave a little moan as it rubbed harder. "It's quite dexterous." She noted that he was purring, and studied him with interest. "Does that feel good for you, too, Nappa?"

He laughed and nodded. "Stop getting all scientific, Blue. I can see that look in your eyes. Enjoy it without wondering why, and I'll let you study my tail all you want later."

Ami nodded in agreement, more than willing to lay there and let him do whatever he wanted, so long as it didn't involve penetration. She was simply too sore for any more of that. She blew on one of his nipples, using her gift to make it cold, before following up with her warm mouth. She giggled when he jumped at the sensation.

"You still planning on giving my balls frostbite?" Nappa asked playfully. He slid her up his chest so he could kiss her while his tail played with her, completely intent on giving her the same amount of pleasure that she had just given him.

"Maybe." No longer able to ignore what he was doing so that she could tease him, Ami found herself moving her hips against his tail slowly, and clutching at his shoulders as he watched her with delight. He was clearly enjoying watching what he was doing to her. "Nappa, please," she whimpered.

"Tell me what you want, Blue."

Eyes half-lidded with passion, Ami took his hand in hers and boldly guided it between her legs. Nappa wasn't a stupid man, and slid his fingers inside of her, making her cry out softly as his tail continued to stroke her. "Come for me, Ami," he whispered in her ear.

His words pushed her over the edge, and she bit down on his shoulder as she came undone, her eyes rolling back as he continued to move his fingers and his tail, drawing out her climax.

"I want you again, Ami," Nappa whispered, the effects of her bite overwhelming him.

"Ok," she whimpered meekly, not caring if it hurt her or not. Something in his blood was filling her with an irresistible need, just the same as when he'd bitten her; she'd have to get blood and saliva samples on him later, while she was studying his tail.

"No," he growled softly, "I don't want to hurt you. You're my mate, Ami. I couldn't bear it if I hurt you. Maybe some time in the tank, and then—"

"No need, I developed some ointment during my stay here." She blushed when he looked at her in surprise, and she managed a shy little shrug. "I haven't really tested it a lot, but I know it works."

Nappa set her on her feet beside the bed, and grinned a little when her eyes raked over him appreciatively. "Like what you see?"

Ami blushed again, but managed a little nod. He was, without argument, the most gorgeous specimen of man she'd ever seen in her life. She found herself licking her lips at the prospect of—"Oh, the ointment," she huffed, a little annoyed that she'd let herself get distracted. The little doctor went back into her private lab, stark naked, and plucked a jar from her workbench before returning to the bed and uncapping it.

"So, what's this stuff made of?" Nappa asked curiously, taking a sniff of it. It smelled like Vegeta-sai smelled after a rare rainstorm.

Ami took a seat next to him, and spread a little of the salve over her mating mark. It almost instantly healed. "It's made from the fluid in the medical tanks that you warriors use, combined with a few plants from my homeworld. I'm out of the plants, though, and since Althea…" She shook her head, her eyes filling with sadness, as she looked away from him.

Nappa felt her grief through the bond, and sat up to simply hold her to him. "I'm sorry, Blue. I was dead when it happened, but since I'm a Saiyan warrior, you must hate me just as much as the others."

"I don't hate the Saiyans," she answered simply. "And I definitely _don't_ hate you. Everyone thinks they're right in a war, Nappa." Ami kissed his mark, and felt a flutter when she tasted his blood again. "Gods, I really need to run some tests on your blood. It's simply… words can't even describe what it's doing to me."

Nappa chuckled at that, glad for a change of subject, and took the jar from her before tipping her onto her back. "It's the hormones in my bloodstream; I felt the same effect when I bit you, which is why I couldn't stop. If I'd been a much younger man, I might have been able to stop."

"Like Broly and Mina?" Ami asked curiously. She blushed when Nappa began to apply some of the medicine between her legs. "You don't have to do—" Her eyes fluttered shut and she whimpered as he began to stroke her just as his tail had.

"I want to," he chuckled.

"I think you just like to shut me up whenever I'm trying to think." Ami gave a little moan as his hand grew bolder, attending to the sore spots inside of her.

"Alright, Blue, you've got me there. But don't act like you're not enjoying every minute of it."

**Yup, so Nappa and Ami are together now! I actually really like this pairing, to be honest! Next chapter: Bardock comes home, and I'm sure you can guess his reaction... not happy. At all. PLEASE REVIEW, yall, and thank you to those who have already been doing so, I read each and every one and try to respond to any questions!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much to all of those that reviewed, and I hope if you had any questions, that I answered them to your satisfaction via PM. Please remember to review if you read, yall's reviews just make my day! And I've had a VERY bad day at work (I work in a hospital), so reviews will make it better!**

Mako checked the washer when it went off, and was loading what would have been ten loads of clothes on Althea into an enormous dryer, when she heard a grunt from behind her. "Don't just grunt at me, Raditz, this shit is heavy," she huffed. "Here, if you don't mind, would you please—" She jumped when a large hand roughly spun her around, and she found herself face to face with a tall, beefy warrior. He had spikey hair that went up, rather than down, like Raditz's, and had a very noticeable scar on his face. She blinked when she felt a funny feeling in her stomach. "Oh, hi."

"Who the fuck are you, girl, and why are you in my house," he grunted sharply.

She stuck out her hand bravely and straightened up. "I'm Mako Tokino. The princess sent me to clean up your house and cook for you. She said she was worried about your health, and that she was sure you were eating that nasty instant stuff."

"Get out," he ordered firmly.

"No disrespect, sir, but _fuck_ you. I worked my ass off for the last two hours, and I'll be damned if I'm leaving before my job is done," she growled, pushing her way past him to the sink, where she was almost three-quarters of the way done with the dishes. "And if you have a problem with it, take it up with Her Highness. I'm just following her orders," she added, when he approached her with murder in his eyes.

"Get out, girl. Right now." He ordered again.

"Would you mind switching the rest of those clothes to the dryer for me, Bardock? They're awfully heavy." Mako continued to wash, clearly ignoring him, even when he stepped into her personal space. She was _not _going to be intimidated by this man, no matter how mad he was. Nope, not at all. "I could really use the towels in that load, too, since all of the towels but the ones I brought with me are dirty." She stepped to the side to put a pan on one of those aforementioned towels to dry, but found her way blocked. "Move, please," she said, with a little bite to her tone.

Mako looked up at him, matching his glare when he refused to move. "Don't make me hit you with this frying pan."

Bardock's lips twitched up momentarily before returning to a stony expression. "I'd like to see you try, little girl." A single eyebrow lifted when blue sparks leapt from her hand, down into the pan, and it glowed. She was clenching her jaw tightly, clearly trying to control her anger.

"Move, now," she ordered. It was clearly a warning. When he held his ground, she let fly the pithiest Saiyan curse she knew before skirting around him to put the pan on the counter. The towel beneath it promptly burst into flames. "Oh, fuck me running!" She shouted, grabbing for a cup in the sink. Bardock was still in the way, and she shoved at him.

Surprisingly enough, he moved, jolted forward by a bit of a shock from the remaining electricity in her hands. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Damn it all the bowels of Hell, that was one of my best towels!" She shouted, dousing the flames. Mako went around throwing open all the windows to let the smoke out, before wrapping the charred towel up and throwing it in the trash.

She promptly went back into the living room to dig through her bag and retrieve another one, and once again found Bardock blocking her way, planting himself firmly in the kitchen door. "You want to get zapped again? That was only the leftovers from what I put into the pan," she said flatly.

"Althean?" He asked knowingly.

"Yup. Now move or be moved, monkey man." Mako smiled smugly when he stepped out of the way a lot more gracefully than she would have thought possible for a man his size, and proceeded to clean up the counter. Thankfully it wasn't burned, she'd put the fire out fast enough. "Dryer, please," she said sweetly, pleased that he wasn't growling at her anymore.

Bardock merely grunted, and quickly dumped all of the clothes in at once before setting the dryer. He only knew how to do it out of self-preservation. "When's dinner?"

"Raditz is bringing it. Not a chance in hell that I was cooking in _this_ kitchen," she added with a disgusted huff. She continued to scrub in silence, and gave a triumphant cry when the last dish was washed and set aside to dry. "Finally! Now, to the bathroom."

Bardock wisely just moved out of the way when she stormed past him with a determined gleam in her eye. Damn, this girl could clean, and gods help any man that tried to get in her way. He simply followed, staying quiet, until he saw her scrubbing the toilet, wearing a pair of rubber gloves. "I don't remember having those."

"They're mine," she grunted.

"You carry your own cleaning gloves with your personal effects?"

"Of course. No one's cleaning my bathroom but me, since no one at the palace ever bothers to get that damned ring out of my toilet properly. It's downright infuriating."

Gods, she was a little scary in her obsession with cleanliness, and Bardock was suddenly pretty sure that he was going to get zapped for so much as pissing on the seat. He'd have to remember to lift it from now on.

As if sensing his very thoughts, Mako looked up, her green eyes sparking with annoyance. "Be like brother. Not like sis. Lift the seat before you piss."

Bardock snorted at that, trying his best not to laugh, before shaking his head mournfully and leaving her be, flopping down on the couch. He surveyed the living room with the keen eye of a Saiyan. Gods, this girl could clean! She said she'd been here, what? Two hours? And he knew damned well the state of his home before he'd left it.

He rose from his seat when he heard her leave the bathroom and head towards his room. "No," he said sharply, "get out of there. You leave my room alone, you understand?"

Mako turned, her arms full of clothes, and rolled her eyes. "You want these washed or not?"

He sighed and inclined his head. "I'll put my dirty clothes in the washroom from now on. Don't go in there again. It's not negotiable."

Mako shrugged. "Whatever. Oh, hey, I was asking Raditz earlier, what kind of candles do you use in there? They smell heavenly, whatever they are. I never smelled anything like that at the palace."

Bardock blinked and studied her closely for a minute before grunting that he didn't know, and if he hadn't been Saiyan, he would have sighed with relief at the sound of his oldest son coming through the door. Finally, someone he could take his anger out on without getting electrocuted. "Brat!" He roared, "outside, now!"

Mako chuckled, knowing that Raditz was about to get an earful from daddy dearest, and wisely scurried back to throw in the laundry she was carrying. She did not want to get caught in this particular crossfire.

Bardock shoved Raditz outside once the food was safely out of harm's way, and slammed the door shut behind them. "Just what in the fuck do you think you're doing, brat, bringing some strange woman into my home?"

"Feh. Talk to Usagi, Father, it was her idea."

"I'm not stupid, brat. I'm not going after the princess. I have no interest in taking a mate ever again, you understand me? Now get this girl out of my house."

"Get her out yourself, Father. I'm under orders."

"Feh." Bardock growled to himself for a moment about taking brats out of the world after he'd brought them into it, and looked back at the door. "I can't," he finally admitted. "She shocked me once already."

Raditz's lips twitched up before he starting laughing. "Gods, I knew that girl was a little intense about cleaning, but she's got _balls_! She actually shocked you?"

"It was an accident. She was threatening to hit me with an electrified frying pan, and when she set it down, it caught a towel on fire. She shoved me out of the way to put it out."

"And you caught the residue?" Raditz snorted in amusement.

"Just get her out," Bardock sighed, shaking his head.

Raditz didn't miss the flicker of grief over his father's face, and suddenly wished that Usagi was there. The princess wouldn't hesitate to hug Bardock, but his son most definitely couldn't do something like that. "Father, just let the girl cook for you, and clean. She's safe here."

"Safe?" Like that flicker of grief, Raditz also didn't miss the hint of anger in his father's eyes, and suspected that that emotion was on the girl's behalf.

"She was taken captive fifteen years ago, right before the genocide. She's friends with Broly's new mate, and Mina wanted her friends put somewhere, where they wouldn't be…" Raditz shrugged, letting his father assume whatever he wanted.

"Where they wouldn't be whored out, you mean?" Bardock scowled at the thought of the fiery woman in his house being forced to submit to some random Saiyan warrior. "I still want her gone, brat. Find another house for her to clean."

Raditz sputtered at his father's level of stubbornness. Gods, and he thought Vegeta had been bad. "You can call Usa if you want, but I'm not getting in the middle of it, Father. You've seen Usagi in a fight, and I'm not pissing her off."

"Brat, she asked me what kind of candles I use in my bedroom. That they smelled wonderful. I want her out."

Raditz snorted, and tried not to laugh. Oh shit. He handed over his scouter after choking out a command in Saiyan, and rushed back into the house before he started laughing and got his ass beat.

"What, Radu? Radu?" Usagi's voice came from the scouter, and with a heavy sigh, Bardock put it on.

"Girl, while I appreciate your concern for my well-being, I don't want or need a housekeeper. Find somewhere else for her. I'll let her stay the night, and that's it."

Usagi shook her head, her mouth set in a firm line. "I care about you, Bardock. You're like family. And this woman is a damned good cook. She's also being hounded by Saiyan warriors left and right, since she's down in the kitchens, and she even a thundershaker can hold them off for only so long. You know just as well as I do what happens to pretty captives in the palace."

Bardock growled out something about stubborn females before making eye contact with the princess once more. "Fine," he snarled. "She can stay, for _now_."

Usagi's face softened. "Bardock? You didn't feel the pull, did you?" She asked gently.

"No." _Yes. _He had. Oh, he definitely had, when he'd jerked Mako around in front of the dryer and she had gazed up at him with those huge green eyes. But he sure as hell was ignoring it.

She smiled in understanding. "Look, Bardock… I'm sorry about Romayna. I wanted to tell you that during training the other day, but it didn't seem like the appropriate time or place. She was a great lady, and she treated me like a daughter… she hid me from Nappa a few times, too, after Radu and I became friends. She… she wouldn't want you to mourn her forever."

"It hasn't _been_ forever, girl. It's been four months," Bardock snarled defensively.

"I know that, Bardock," she said softly. "I didn't mean for it sound like that. I just mean, that if the right woman for you ever shows up, don't let her get away, alright?"

"Feh, you're such a girl." Bardock cut the scouter off with a sharp command, and stomped back into the house to hand it to his son. "Fine," he huffed, "she can stay."

Raditz grinned. "Did Usa cuss you out?"

"Not exactly," he grumbled, sitting next to his son to tear into a carton of food. "Girl!" He shouted, in between bites, "food!"

Mako came out of the kitchen and took a seat next to Raditz, grabbing the carton that he pointed at. She wasn't sure what he was saying, since his mouth was full, but she snagged it anyway out of a sense of survival, since it looked like one of them was going to snatch it at any moment. "Ye gods, you boys can fucking eat," she said in wonder. "I'll never stop being in awe of that Saiyan appetite."

She set the carton aside once she had eaten half of the contents, and found herself jerked back down when she tried to get up. The hand on her was warm and heavy, and she ignored the little shiver that the contact sent up her spine.

"Eat," Bardock ordered, through a mouthful of noodles. He removed his hand from her arm when she complied and sat. "The cleaning's not going anywhere."

"Phht. I don't eat as much as you, monkey man."

"I was on Althea for a short stretch, I know damned well how much one of you can eat, and I know you're not full. Finish eating, then you can go back to cleaning, if you want," he said firmly, not taking his eyes off of her for a moment.

"Fine," she sighed. Mako was still hungry, but when things needed cleaning, the dirt just seemed to call to her, and she had to answer. Mina and Ami called it obsessive-compulsive. Mako called it sanitation.

She ate quickly, barely chewing her food before she swallowed it, and plunked the empty carton down with the rest of the half-demolished meal. "Happy?"

Bardock looked into the carton and gave her a curt nod before returning to his meal.

Mako went straight to the bags littering the floor. "Are these the things I put on the list?" She grabbed the broom and the mop that were lying beside the pile, and when Raditz nodded, she began to unpack everything, squealing a little when she found a box full of sponge-like scrubbers. The box claimed that they wiped up the worst stains with only a few swipes. "Raditz, you're awesome!" She shrieked.

"I know!" He called, his mouth full.

"Encourage her, why don't you," Bardock mumbled in between bites.

"You didn't see her face when she walked into that kitchen for the first time," Raditz snorted. "If you'd been here, I think she would have beat you black and blue. She actually screamed, she was so mad. She also displayed a very good command of Saiyan curses."

"Feh. She'll get over it. I don't wash dishes."

"Well, then, I'm glad I brought her. Another week, and I would have had to dig you out of the dish pile. Or the laundry. Take your pick."

"Feh."

"Are you even wearing socks, Father? Or do you actually have a pair left in this house that can't stand up on their own?" Raditz snickered, dodging a half-hearted slap to the back of his head. He grinned when his father pulled up his pant leg a little to show clean socks. "You've been buying new ones and just throwing the nasty ones in the trash, haven't you?" He laughed, choking on the food in his mouth.

Bardock's face colored a little at that. Damn it, his brat knew him too well.

Mako came in with a load of dry laundry and dumped it at the other end of the wrap-around couch before sitting and beginning to sort and fold clothing, but stopped after several minutes. "Bardock… forgive me for prying… but please don't tell me that… ugh, never mind."

"What, woman?" Bardock grunted.

"Well, I don't see any drawers in here."

"Drawers?"

"Underwear. Have you been just throwing them out when they're dirty or something?"

Raditz turned three different shades of red at that, and choked on his food yet again, trying to breathe through the noodles and the laughter.

If Mako could have fried under Bardock's gaze, she would have been cooking. "I don't wear underwear, girl."

Instead of blushing in embarrassment, she immediately dropped the fatigues she'd been folding, and sputtered in disgust. "Gods, I'm going to have to wash all of these _twice_," she snapped, scooping up all of the pants in the pile. She made her way back to the washer, bitching to herself colorfully in Saiyan the entire way about the filthy hygiene of Saiyan warriors.

That did it. Raditz totally lost it right then, laughing so hard that he spit out the tea he'd been trying to sip to hide his grin. "HAHAHAHAHA! Oh gods, I—Father, you're going to have a fun time with this one!"

"Get out," Bardock ground through his teeth, "or I'm blasting you into the next dimension."

"Say no more!" Raditz cackled, still laughing. "Great visit, Father!" The guard hastily launched himself into the air the moment he was on the doorstep, his laughter ringing through the air as he hightailed it back to the palace to tell Usagi all about Mako, and how she was going to make his father positively batshit.

Mako gathered up all of the trash in the living room, and made sure to store all of the leftovers before she scrubbed down the table they'd eaten at. Next came the rest of the bathroom. She wanted a shower, but Hell would freeze over before she used that thing before it was clean.

"It's getting late, woman. Go to bed."

Mako turned and rolled her eyes. "I want a shower first. I'm almost done cleaning in here, and then I'll take one."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to bed."

"What time do you want breakfast?" She asked, before he could turn towards his room. "Raditz brought me enough stuff to cook something in the morning. I'll go shopping afterwards, and stock the pantry, cabinets, and fridge."

"Hn. You need some credits for all that?"

"No, but thank you. Raditz covered it. He gave me enough to feed a small army, so if there's anything in particular you want me to pick up, just leave me a list. I can read Saiyan glyphs," she added with a smile.

Bardock found himself wanting to return that simple expression, but kept his features hard and unreadable. "I'll make sure you have an escort in the morning."

"Nah, I'm fine," she said cheerily, going back to the tub. "I'm used to taking care of myself."

"You'll take an escort, woman," he said flatly. "It's not negotiable."

Mako snorted and shook her head. "You really like bossing people around, don't you, Bardock?"

"I won't have you cornered by some random male in the city, woman. You're part of my household now, and it's my duty to make sure you're protected. Whenever you plan on going out, just let me know, and I'll make sure one of my brats accompanies you."

Mako sighed and nodded. She was going to have to pick her battles, and this was definitely a battle that wasn't worth fighting. Especially when she suspected that he was trying to be kind, even if he was being a little overbearing. "I'll be ready to head out around eight-ish? That depends on what time you want breakfast ready, of course."

Bardock sighed and nodded, just as she had done only a moment before. "I get up for training about six. There's no set time for warriors to arrive for training, unless they're brats, but I keep a pretty strict regimen."

"Six is good. In fact, I'm a little relieved. I was afraid you were going to kick me out of bed at four like that cunt working down in the kitchens." Satisfied with the tub, she put away her cleaning supplies, and pushed past him to get her bag. She pulled out a clean towel and the thin nightgown she'd been wearing when she was captured.

Bardock shoved the Saiyan inside of him down with a vengeance when the curvy brunette took her hair down and shook it out a little, letting it spill down to her waist as she looked in the mirror.

"What?" She asked, glancing over. She could feel his eyes burning into her, and the longer he stared at her, the harder it was becoming to deny that she was enjoying it. Mako removed her apron and wrinkled her nose in disgust at how filthy it had become. "Ugh."

"Now that's something you'll have to wash twice," Bardock snorted, plucking it from her hand. "I'll put it in the washer on heavy. Good night."

Mako smiled warmly at his back when he abruptly turned and headed towards the kitchen. "Night, Bardock. And thank you for not kicking me out," she added, when he looked back.

"Feh."

###############

Usagi rolled over in the bed again and chuckled a little for what had to be the twentieth time.

"Alright, woman. What in the hell is so funny?" Raditz finally asked, giving up on sleep. Ever since they were brats, once Usagi got something funny stuck in her head, she couldn't let it go until she'd laughed it out.

"Well, you see, I was just thinking about Ami and Nappa."

"And what's so funny about that?"

Usagi laughed, finally letting it out. "It just—it reminds me so much of Gure and Tarble! She's so fucking _short_! When they're mating, is her face somewhere down around his belly button? Or is Ami going to spend an awful lot of time on top!?"

Raditz snorted and groaned, shaking his head. "Woman, I am not laying here, thinking about Nappa having sex. Go to sleep."

"I'm sorry!" She cackled, only laughing even harder. "It's just, he's so damned _tall _compared to her! And I can't help but pity her, Nappa's cock must be fucking scary… gods, I hope she wasn't a virgin." Her eyes got a little wide at that. "Damn, that must've—"

"Shut _up_, Usa!" Raditz moaned, trying not to laugh. He, of all people, knew that to laugh would only encourage her further.

"Ew."

"What?" Raditz sighed.

"I'm thinking back to Nappa's belly button," Usagi said, deep in thought. "I hope he showered beforehand, he gets a little rank after sparring. Ami must have suffocated in that thing, even with her weak little Althean nose. I wonder if she threw up on him."

Raditz lost it at that, and was laughing his ass off, holding his sides when they started to hurt from the strain. "Go to sleep, woman! Gods!" He ordered, once his laughs had died down enough for him to speak.

"Radu?"

"Whaaaaat?" He asked, back to groaning, as he buried his face in his pillow.

"Where in the deuce is my handmaiden?"

"Broly took her out, something about some sort of sissy picnic thing. I don't know. Why?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if he'd finally mated her yet, he's been quite the ardent lover. He left her flowers this morning before he went out for training, and I had to kick him out so I could dress."

"I'm impressed with his control."

"Feh, Broly's still a puppy, same as Mina. Someone as young as him should have no problem controlling his libido long enough to let his mate get to know him. Now, your father? That's what I'm waiting to see. I bet he mates her within two days," she chuckled.

"Four days. You have no faith in my family's self-control, do you?" Raditz shook his head in the dark; if she only knew how well he'd been controlling his baser urges around him, she'd likely faint from the shock.

"That's a bet, Radu. I'll clean your fucking armor if he holds out that long."

"And if you win, I'll be your punching bag for a whole training session," he snorted.

"Deal. Better reserve a med tank ahead of time, Radu. It's gonna be an asshwhoopin' you'll never forget."

##############

Ami rolled out of bed in the dark, and padded to her bathroom from memory, only to run into a wall. "Ow!" She grunted, holding her nose. Damn it all the Hell, at least it wasn't broken. She jumped when she felt a sudden hand on her arm, and in her half-asleep, pain-hazed daze, she nearly froze the intruder solid.

Then she remembered the events of the previous day, and relaxed.

"Forget where you were?" Nappa chuckled, invisible in the pitch black. He pulled his mate to him, and savored the feel of her naked skin pressing against his.

"Yeah," Ami chuckled with embarrassment. "There's no light down in The Hole, so I'm accustomed to getting up to use the bathroom without turning any lights on." Her fingertips whispered over his chest, and she felt him shiver at the contact. "So, where's the bathroom in this place, hm?"

Nappa conjured up a little ball of ki and held it in the air, so that the glow would reach into the far corners of the large bedroom. He'd brought her upstairs after several hours down in her lab; she'd clearly been exhausted after such a long day. She'd woken once, and he'd made love to her again, slowly this time. He shivered again, at the memory of her soft cries of pleasure as he'd brought her to climax several times just in that one session.

And he wanted to do it again.

Ami chuckled as she caught bits of his thoughts in her mind, and shook her head in wonder. She made her way to the bathroom, did her business, and wasn't surprised to find Nappa waiting for her just outside the door. "Somehow, I knew this was coming."

"Too sore?" He asked with a touch of worry. She _was_ awfully small, smaller than any woman he'd ever been with, and he knew he'd have to get accustomed to being careful with her. Nappa smiled when she blushed and shook her head shyly. Gods, that sweet shyness was just downright adorable, and he knew he'd never get tired of it.

Ami giggled—something she rarely did—when he easily lifted her with one arm under her bottom, and drug her up against him. She wrapped her legs around him when he kissed her, and gave a little moan when his tail slipped between her legs. The doctor smiled sexily as she nipped at his throat. "You're getting really good at kissing, you know."

"Good," he chuckled, "now that I've passed that, maybe I can graduate to kissing you in other areas?" Nappa laughed when she looked up at him and blushed, and proceeded to carry her back to the bed.

"Actually," Ami replied nervously, pushing at him to roll him onto his back, "I had something else in mind."

Nappa took the hint and rolled, taking her with him so that she was resting on top. "And what's that, Blue?" He gasped in surprise when she boldly slid down, and jumped when he felt something _very_ cold against his lower anatomy.

"Frostbite," Ami giggled, blowing on him.

"Whoa, Blue, too cold!" Nappa yelped. His head suddenly went back in sheer ecstasy when her _very_ warm mouth followed up. "Holy shit, Blue," he moaned.

"Too much?" Ami asked in concern. "I can stop if you want me to."

Nappa laughed at that, and shook his head. "For once in my life, I'm not sure whether to tell you to stop or continue, woman." He shivered when he felt her icy breath blow over him once more, followed by a choked noise from his throat when her mouth thawed him out again. "Sweet gods," he whispered. "Blue, get up here," he growled.

"Nope," she replied sweetly, continuing her wonderful torture. Her eyes twinkled with glee every time she made him moan, every time he whispered something in Saiyan.

"Gods, woman… the things I want to do to you right now." Nappa made a noise that was dangerously close to a whimper when her tongue did something absolutely mind-blowing, and he finally lost the leash he had on his self-control.

Ami laughed when he drug her up his frame, flipped her, and pinned her to the bed. "I have to admit, Nappa, you lasted a lot longer than I thought you would… but I would have finished if you'd let me," she added softly.

"Ami, you are without argument the sexiest fucking creature that ever existed," Nappa growled. "And you're all mine."

"Yeah, I suppose," she teased, nipping at his lower lip. Ami arched her hips into his, a blatant invitation.

"Oh no, Blue. It's your turn," he growled affectionately, as he slid himself down, kissing along the way.

###############

Bardock stumbled into the bathroom after climbing out of bed, did his business, and made his way towards the kitchen to scrounge up some food before heading outside for his morning warmups. He froze when he made it as far as the living room and saw Mako standing in the kitchen in her nightgown, her hair down, humming to herself as she fried something that smelled divine.

Sensing eyes on her, Mako turned her head. "Hey, Bardock. Morning." She blinked and did a doubletake, her eyes widening a little at the sight of him. He was very... naked. She couldn't help but appreciate the sight, either. Wow. Just… wow.

"Huh? What's wrong?" He sleepily looked over his shoulder, wondering what she was staring at, when it dawned on him. He looked down and had the grace to blush. "Sorry, habit," he grunted, immediately spinning on his heel to go put something on.

When she was putting the food onto a couple of plates, she felt those eyes on her again and managed a chuckle. "You Saiyans aren't very modest, are you?"

"No," he admitted. "But if I'd remembered you were here, I would have put on my fatigues."

Mako shook her head and laughed, handing him a plate and cup of coffee. "I wasn't sure how you took it, sorry."

"Black's just fine, thanks," he mumbled. Bardock took a seat at the clean kitchen table and proceeded to eat, but stopped after the first bite. "What is this?"

Mako shrugged, taking a seat across from him, doing her very best to ignore the fact that he still wasn't wearing a shirt. All of those muscles, under that deeply tanned skin… yummy. "A little of this and that. Why?"

"Woman, this is _not _simply a little of this and that," he stated firmly, taking another bite. He scanned the counter, but finding it clean, he looked over at the trash barrel. "Potatoes, eggs… what else is in this?"

Blushing at what was obviously Bardock's version of praise, Mako took a bite of her own food. "Well, I found some spices in the cabinets, and the potatoes in the pantry. Raditz brought the eggs, bacon, and coffee. I, um, honestly don't know how I made it. I just see food and start throwing it together."

Bardock took a few more bites, closing his eyes in pleasure every time he chewed. "You'll make this again tomorrow."

"Sure, no problem," she replied softly, clearly flattered. They both ate in silence, while Mako just watched him discreetly. She'd always enjoyed seeing people enjoy her cooking, and he was no exception.

"What, girl?" Bardock grunted with his mouth full. He'd caught those little glances, her tiny pleased smile. Combined with the fact that her hair was down and her nightgown was thin, the Saiyan in him was trying to come out and say hello. No, this girl was not going to see that side of him. No woman would, ever again.

Mako shook her head and just smiled. "Sorry. I love seeing people happy with my cooking. It's a boost to my ego."

Now that was something he knew a lot about. "Like the feeling a Saiyan gets when they leave an opponent bloody?"

"Minus the adrenaline rush and the mess." She grinned when he just grunted at her, and could have sworn she saw his lips twitch up in a flicker of a smile. Still sneaking looks at him, she continued to eat her breakfast, but stopped to take his cup when he emptied it. "Now, do you actually like your coffee black, or do you prefer it another way?"

"The way you make it, only one sugar."

"Too weak?" She asked in surprise. Mina and Ami always compared her coffee to rocket fuel.

"It's perfect," he assured her. He finished his plate, and took his mug to the bathroom with him when she handed it over. He showered and shaved, and made sure to wrap a towel around his waist before leaving the bathroom in search of clean clothes.

Mako blushed at the sight of him in only the towel, which barely even covered him. "You said not to go into your room, so your clothes are folded and stacked on the dryer."

"Oh. That's fine." Bardock picked out a pair of fatigues, which had likely been washed twice, and a black tank top to wear under his armor. He stopped, and looked in the little window of the washer. "Is that all you have?"

"Huh?"

He pointed. "In the washer. Is that all you have?" Why in gods' name was she blushing so brightly? It was just—oh. The load in the washer had two skirts in it, one top, and four pairs of panties and two bras. He rolled his eyes. "Do you need more clothes?"

Mako vigorously shook her head. "No, no, I'm fine, thank you," she said quickly.

"Did they issue you anything at the palace when they brought you?" He huffed when she shook her head no. "And even if you were someone of import on your planet, and you came quietly, they only gave you a minute to gather some necessities."

"We were hiding," Mako said flatly. "And we fought like rabid wolves, thank you very much." Her eyes flashed with anger when he snorted, clearly telling her what he thought of her fighting ability. "That's what I thought. Typical Saiyan attitude. I'll have you know, I killed two dozen warriors your size before my spark went out," she snapped, turning and stalking to her bedroom without another word.

Bardock flinched a little when she slammed the door loud enough to jar his Saiyan hearing. Great, he'd pissed her off. Fuck it. He'd keep her pissed, at least that way she'd stop looking at him like she had at breakfast. Those green eyes, twinkling with happiness, were going to be his downfall if he wasn't careful.

Mako finally came out of her bedroom, dressed in her only clean skirt and top, when she finally heard the back door close. Gods, breakfast had been so pleasant, but then he'd had to bring up the siege on Althea. "Prick," she whispered, and scrubbed at her eyes.

The front door opened, and she jumped at the sound of standard issue boots. That had been the last thing she'd heard when she'd been hiding on Althea, before everything had gone to Hell in a handbasket. Funny how she was hearing them now, when she was dwelling on that very day.

"Girl?"

Mako sighed with relief, and relaxed out of the fighting stance she'd settled into without even realizing it. "Raditz? I—I thought—nevermind. You just startled me, is all."

"Glad I announced myself, then. I'm sure you would have called a thunderstorm down on my ass."

She came out into the living room and shook her head. "Lightning. I can't control water. I could, however, call down a lightning strike from the nearest power lines?"

"Pass. Well, you ready to shop? It seems like I'm getting suckered into this an awful lot lately."

"Shopping?"

"Yeah. But you can't possibly be worse than Usa on her best day. Get a basket or something. A big one. I'm sure the pantry's empty."

"No need." Mako fetched her bag, dumped out all the contents on her bed, and came back with it slung over her shoulder. She grinned at his incredulous stare. "Althean technology. It's a subspace pocket."

"Whatever you say, girl. But you're carrying all the bags." Raditz scooped her up once they were out on the doorstep, and took her straight to the Saiyan market. He dug in his pocket once they landed, and handed her a wad of cash. "Here. Go nuts."

"Wha!?" Mako shook her head and tried to hand the money back, but he was having none of it. "You already gave me everything I need for the food, Raditz, it's in my skirt pocket."

"That's for you. An advance on your wages."

"W—wages?" She was getting paid? But she was a captive, it had been made very clear to her upon her landing that she wasn't much better than slave labor to the crown. Mako's eyes narrowed as she unfolded the credits and guessed at how much was there. "Even if I am getting paid, Raditz, this is too much for a month's salary."

"It's not a month's worth." He waited for her to visibly relax a little, to feel better about the amount of money, before he grinned devilishly. "It's only two weeks' worth."

"Two weeks!? Are you nuts, man!? "

"I'm paying your salary, not my father, and I'll damn well pay you what I think you're worth, girl. And I know how difficult living with my father can be. You'll take the money, and I won't hear any more arguments about it. Understood?"

Mako shook her head, but stuffed the money in her pocket in defeat. Fine. There was stuff she needed for the house, so she would take the money and buy new towels, linens, and some baking dishes that she could use.

Raditz only smirked knowingly. "And that money is for you to use on yourself, girl. Not household items." He chuckled and turned toward the butcher's when she flushed in anger and started swearing eloquently in Althean. "Come on, girl," he ordered, when she just continued to stand there and curse his name. "I have duties to attend to, and I only have an hour and a half before I need to get back."

"Fine." Mako walked ahead of him, leading the way, as she went from stall to stall, consulting her notes as she purchased food. She let Raditz do all of the haggling, since she'd never been very good at it, and paid whenever he nodded at her, which was his way of telling her that the price was acceptable.

She took notes on all of those prices, and every time she came away with a new bag, she stored it in her sack, which never got any bigger or heavier, despite its contents.

"Wow, you're not nearly as bad as Usagi," Raditz remarked, once they'd finished with the food.

"Don't talk just yet, warrior. We have yet to get to the baking dishes and the linens," she said with a grin.

The Saiyan went a little wide-eyed when Mako led him to a few more stalls, and gaped when she haggled over a pile of sheets and pillowcases like an old pro. Ok, maybe she didn't know what she was doing with food shopping, but the girl knew her shit when it came to household goods. She also bought pots and pans, a pie dish, cookie sheet, and three deep baking dishes that were made out of stone. All of the purchases went in her bag, and finally she smiled brightly, declaring that she was done.

"That was like watching some sort of sporting event," he snorted in amusement. "I feel bad for every one of those shopkeepers."

"Why thank you, Raditz! Alright, I have cleaning to do, let's go."

"Not a chance, woman. We've still got forty-five minutes left, and my father expressly ordered me to make sure you got yourself some clothes."

"I have three skirts and two tops. I'm fine."

"And only four pairs of underwear and two bras?"

Mako turned several shades of red at that. So, he _had_ been looking at her panties in the washer. "Asshole."

"Yeah, he is, I won't disagree with you. But he's right. Come on, we'll get you outfitted, girl."

It was Raditz's turn to lead, and Mako's to follow like a puppy on a leash, as he led her further into the city, towards the clothing market. The night guard looked her up and down at the first stall before giving the shopkeeper her sizes. When he guessed correctly at her bra size, she sputtered a few phrases in Saiyan that made him grin.

"What, girl? I can't help it that I've got a good eye."

"Really. Then what's Usagi's bra size?"

"Thirty-four B," he answered without hesitation. "And Mina's would likely be a thirty-six C. I have to say, you're a lot more stacked than them." Taking advantage of her silence while she just gaped at him in embarrassment and astonishment, he went back to his discussion with the vendor before tugging her over. "Now that she knows what your sizes are, pick out what you want. Usagi told me to take you here, that these would probably be more to your tastes."

Mako had to admit, the princess had been dead on. Not only did this shop have functional sporty items for her to wear if she decided to work out in the backyard, it had some really cute underthings. Never mind that she'd be the only one to see them, wearing pretty underwear made her feel nice.

She selected two sports bras, and rolled her eyes and got three more when Raditz grunted at her. Gods, the men in this family were so bossy! She was a little more liberal in her choices of the nicer items, and picked several sets of lacy garments that matched the bras that they would go with.

"Nightgowns?" Raditz asked, when she opened her mouth to say she was done.

"Oh, yeah. I only have one of those. I guess I could use a couple more. What does Usagi wear?" Mako blanched and furiously shook her head when the woman behind the counter displayed a nearly see-through nightie that only came to mid-thigh. "Ye gods, you Saiyans are _not_ modest, that decides it!"

"Why do you say that?" Raditz asked in confusion. "That's normal nightwear for women on Vegeta-sai. It gets hot, if you haven't noticed."

"Yeah, I noticed," she huffed. "All the men sleep bare-ass naked."

"Uh—huh—oh gods—" Raditz stepped away for a moment to get himself under control as he laughed into his hand, trying not to make a lot of noise.

"Yeah, it was really fucking funny, Raditz. Really fucking funny." Mako went ahead and got a couple nightgowns while he continued to laugh at her expense, and the shopkeeper had obviously caught on and was chuckling as well. "Done, come on," she said moodily.

"Nope," he answered, still chuckling. "Pants and shirts."

"I don't wear pants. And stop laughing, damn it! It was embarrassing for both of us!"

"Alright, alright, I'll try my best to stop if you answer one question."

"What?" She ground through her teeth, trying to control the sparks flying from her fingertips.

"Morning wood or not?" Raditz jumped when she poked him and he felt a mild jolt of electricity. "Oh, come on, you're no fun. It's a fair question."

"What, Raditz, you want to compare your cock size to your father's?"

He laughed at that and slapped her affectionately on the back. "I don't have to girl, I already know the answer. He's bigger."

Mako started going off in Althean once more as she outpaced him and started buying skirts and tops. She sighed a little at the sight of some jewelry, but knew damned well she couldn't afford something like that, even on her wages. Maybe she'd save a little from her next payday and buy a pair of earrings. Those enamel and gold rose studs were particularly gorgeous. They reminded her of her garden back home. She sighed a little and turned back to an apron she'd been admiring.

"Get them," Raditz suggested from behind her.

"No," Mako said flatly, and held up her hand to shut him up when he opened his mouth to argue. "No, Raditz. I really mean it, ok? Just… no."

"Bad memory?"

"No, a good memory," she answered softly. "But I'd rather not talk about it, ok?"

"Suit yourself. Is that everything?" He asked, when she finally stowed the last bag in her carry-on. He turned and looked at something else that had caught her eye, and smiled a little before stalking over to a book dealer.

"No, Raditz, I really mean it!" She protested, stomping over to him. "I have so much cleaning to do, and I want to get supper started on time."

"Hush, woman. Gods, you're worse than Usagi." He handed her a small stack of books that he'd already paid for. "You'll get bored once that pigsty is clean, so I thought you'd like to read."

Mako sighed heavily and took the books as graciously as she could. Saiyan history, Saiyan customs, Saiyan… recipes? Now that one she could definitely—

"Read it later, woman," he said, interrupting her attempt to open the book. "Let's go."

She put the books away with a tiny smile, and let him scoop her up and carry her back to Bardock's house. "Half-mast," she said, once they'd gotten into the kitchen. And an impressive half-mast it had been.

"What?"

"He was still mostly asleep, and came into the kitchen at half-mast."

"Oh, _that_!" Raditz laughed. "Gods, girl, you have my full sympathy." He took packages of meat from her and put them away in the huge ice chest in the pantry, while she unloaded the other cold goods into the fridge.

"Eh, not like I haven't seen a naked man. I think he was more embarrassed than I was, honestly." When he gave her a very serious stare, she shook her head. "I had five brothers on Althea, Raditz. All of them older. The marathon for the bathroom in the morning consisted of at least three of them walking out in the nude. Not to mention all the shit they'd pull," she answered wistfully.

"Oh, well that makes sense. Usa knew what a cock looked like since the day her mother mated with the king, poor woman. The crown prince was snuggling in with her as soon as he could climb out of his crib and into hers." She was still wearing that slightly sad smile, and he felt bad for practically accusing her of whoring around in the palace. "Did they survive the siege?"

"No," she whispered. "My spark went out while I was trying to defend my twin, Hiro. He was wounded in the attack. He was dead when I awoke on the transport." Mako brushed away a couple tears and tried her best to smile. "He was the only earthmover in the family. We grew roses out front. He was a thundershaker, too, though. Just like the rest of us. A very rare double-gift. "

That explained the earrings. He'd have to see about getting them for her, and finding a way to make her accept them. Maybe he'd be able to convince her that they were from his father? That would sure get things moving along. She'd felt the pull, he could tell, just as Usagi was positive that Bardock had felt it. A week at most, and if his father didn't let his temper and bad attitude get the better of him, they'd be a mated pair.

Raditz briefly wondered if this girl was an earthmover as well, since her twin was. He just as quickly pushed that suspicion to the side, though. The king would have never allowed an earthmover to survive the siege and be taken as a captive, it would have simply been too much of a risk to the city. "Roses don't do too well on Vegeta-sai," he finally said, once most of the groceries were put away, "but if you'd like some sort of a garden, I don't think Father would have a problem with it."

Thank the gods, he hadn't asked her about her abilities. Mako liked Raditz, and didn't think she could lie to him if he asked. "I don't know, Raditz. I really don't see that going over too well. Haven't I stepped on his toes enough over the last day?"

"True. Wait a few days before you broach the subject. In the meantime, cook his favorite meals and keep him happy, and he'll probably tell you to do whatever the hell you want out back when you do finally ask."

"Sounds like a plan."

**Whew, another long chapter! I hope yall liked it, and please review if you read it, I love any and all comments and questions. Especially questions, which I will answer via PM. Next chapter: Bardock is a douchebag. Still. :) And thank you Ana, for pointing out that my own Saiyan brats had keybashed at some pointed, so I could go in and edit it. Ugh... I know how Bardock feels.**


	7. Chapter 7

**PLEASE review? *whimper* PLEASE?**

"This is hardly fair," Mina snorted in disgust.

"No, it's not," Broly agreed, leashing his anger. "She's only fought _five_ already."

"Can't she decline the challenge?" Mina asked.

"Yeah, but at the expense of looking like a coward, and you know as well as I do that Usa's pride will never let her turn down a fight. Even one she might not win. She has to declare that she's finished for the day before another challenge is issued. Usagi was going to try and train for a bit, and Turles took advantage, which is his right."

"You'd think he was exhausted with getting the shit beaten out of him," she snickered, watching as Usagi stepped into the ring, littered in light bruises and a few cuts from the last opponent, and clearly exhausted, if the bags under her eyes were any indicator.

Broly assessed Usagi's speed as she flew at Turles, fists flying, wrapped in her ki. She was using the new technique she'd figured out a few days prior; Usagi would surround her hands and feet in ki, and reabsorb it at frequent intervals before refreshing the light she was using to pack a serious punch.

Even with this new edge, Broly had been through enough battles to know that Usagi was going to lose unless some sort of miracle occurred.

"Aw, the little princess is flagging," Turles taunted. "Are you tired, woman? Because this is nothing compared to how tired you're going to be after I claim you."

Usagi threw her hands in the air, summoning up a large amount of ki in her rage. "Turles, what I'm feeling right now is nothing compared to what you're going to be feeling in the tank."

"Alright, princess, I didn't want to do this, but you asked for it." He summoned up a massive ball of light and lobbed it at her, just as she screamed and unleashed hell.

Both waves of energy collided, sending Turles and Usagi flying in opposite directions from the recoil. Mina watched Ami dart out into the ring to check the princess, who wasn't moving. "Broly… does this mean she's lost?"

"No," he answered flatly. "Turles will have to go through Nappa and Raditz, now. Likely the king, as well. I don't think he'll be able to win against all three of them, but it'll be close."

"Sweet goddess, no. Isn't there something that—wait a minute."

Broly looked down at her to see her smiling at him sexily. "No, woman, I'm an unmated male, and I'm not sworn to her service. It would be interpreted as a fight over her."

"And if you were mated by this evening?" She asked sweetly. One of her hands moved to his thigh and began to trace a little pattern that he found absolutely intriguing. "I was going to let it be a surprise, but…" She shrugged.

Broly kissed her firmly before giving her a nod. "You drive a hard bargain, woman, but you've got yourself a _deal_."

Broly flew into the ring just as Turles arrived to claim his prize, moving so fast that no one saw for sure who had come to the princess's defense. The fight went into the air, and with a few choice ki blasts and one finisher, Turles was lying in a crater near the ring, unconscious. He'd be in the tank for at least a week after that.

He floated back down, and held his hands out in a gesture of peace when Ami put herself between him and Usagi, followed by Nappa jerking Ami behind him and taking her place. "I just wanted to make sure she was ok, that's all."

Ami peeked around from behind Nappa and nodded. "The blast just knocked her out. She should be fine."

Broly nodded, satisfied. "Get her inside and up to her rooms, or in the tank if it's necessary." He grinned before looking over at Mina. "I am going to go claim my mate now," he added triumphantly.

Mina squealed a little when Broly dashed over with ridiculous speed and scooped her into his arms before taking off into the air. "But wait, where are we going to go?" She asked in between laughs.

"My bed," he said flatly. "I would have invited you over, but a woman doesn't enter a warrior's room unless she's his mate or she wants sex."

They were there in no time; Broly simply landed on the balcony of a home just outside the city, and carried her into a dark room that smelled absolutely wonderful to her. He laid her down on his bed, but rather than climbing on top of her, he simply laid down beside her and rested his forehead against hers. "Mine," he said simply.

"I'm yours," Mina confirmed, "but I think you're nuts for wanting me at all," she giggled.

"Same to you." Broly kissed her then, slowly, and moaned when she returned it, opening to him the moment he sought entry. That's all they did for a long time, while their hands simply wandered and petted above their clothing.

Mina was the one that finally lost control of her hormones, tugging at his training clothing with impatient hands. He helped her remove them, while he pulled at the shoulder ties of her dress and slid it off of her easily.

She licked her lips in anticipation once both of them were devoid of clothing, and pulled him down on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Well?" She teased, when he hesitated.

Broly could clearly smell her arousal, and he knew she wasn't a virgin, but he still found himself waiting, debating on whether he should take her immediately or slip into some foreplay. "Don't you want me to…?" He asked hesitantly.

"Broly," Mina said softly, "I was planning on jumping you in the shower tonight." She tugged him to her, and bit down lightly on his shoulder while her hands moved to his tail.

He moaned at the sensation, and with a mind of their own, his hips surged forward and he entered her. Broly collapsed on top of her from the onslaught of pleasure, just as she bit down roughly to validate his claim on her.

"You ok?" Gods, he could hear the smile in her voice; she knew what kind of effect she was having on him. Broly made a noise that sounded an awful lot like a whimper when she squeezed his length with her muscles, and couldn't even protest when she smoothly rolled them so she was on top. "You seem a little overwhelmed," she whispered in his ear, before returning to his bleeding shoulder. "Let me handle this."

Broly couldn't even answer, let alone protest, other than to wrap his tail around her waist as his little lightbender began to ride him with agonizing slowness.

##################

"…she'll be in and out for a while, sire…"

"…concussion…"

"…broken arm…"

Gods, that sounded familiar. Just like the time Nappa had tanked her as a child. At least she was an adult now, and a lot more resilient than she had been as a brat.

"Oh, it's not that bad, girl. You'll live."

Usagi opened her eyes at that, and smiled brightly at a familiar face before throwing her arms around his neck. "Geta!"

"Feh. You're such a girl, Usa." Vegeta patted her back and kissed her chastely before pulling away a little to look at her. "Not too bad, like I said. The doctor's healing you up right now."

"Wait a second." Usagi looked around to see that they were standing in a white void. "This is a dream," she sighed. "For a minute there, I thought this was…"

"No," he said with a smirk. "Not yet, anyway."

"Yet?" Usagi let him pull her back into his arms, and giggled when he breathed in deeply, his face buried in her hair. Some things never changed.

"You don't hear them, girl? Father's sending you with Raditz, to come collect me. So this will be real soon enough. Gods, you never did listen. He's also telling Nappa to inform the warriors that if they don't play fair with you, they'll face an Executioner's Beam."

Usagi laughed at that and shook her head. "Aw, that's almost sweet of him! You'd think he actually liked me a little or something."

"You know, woman, I really am here in a way." He smirked when she just looked at him in disbelief. "It's the middle of the night for me, and that stupid imprinting bond from when we were brats—"

"Wait a minute, I just thought that was a stupid story that Mother used to tell us."

Vegeta chuckled when she wrinkled her nose in disbelief. "No, it's not. It's just a very rare occurrence. So rare, that most of our people think that it's a myth. But sometimes it really does happen, and that gives us a bit of a mental connection."

"So, finishing each other's sentences and stuff…?" She wondered aloud.

"Yeah, pretty much," he grunted. "You know what the best part is, though?" He was grinning again, and she knew that look all too well. It usually meant trouble for her.

"What?" Might as well ask, or he was going to tease her or tickle her until she did.

"You very likely won't even remember this dream. But since I've been having them on and off for years, I will. At least for a little while. I usually forget most of the dream after a few days," he admitted with a grumble. But they gave you something, and you have a concussion, so if you do remember it, I'd be surprised."

"And why is that the best part?" She snorted, rolling her eyes. "I would like to remember talking to you for real."

"It's the best part because I can get away with _this_." Vegeta kissed her then, and it wasn't one of those chaste little pecks on the mouth that they had exchanged as brats. This was full of need, and longing, and just a little bit of love. He used his arms to pin her to him when she struggled against him weakly, and growled in warning when he felt her powering up.

The kiss didn't stun Usagi into compliance as quickly as that angry noise did. Even when he was fairly annoyed with her, he'd never made such a frustrated sound. "Geta," she protested, balling up her fists against his chest, "you're my brother."

"_Not_ your fucking brother," he snarled. "You're mine, you always have been. I felt the damned pull with you when I was a brat, woman. Didn't you?"

Usagi shook her head little, and gasped when his mouth skimmed over her throat. Damn it if that didn't feel wonderful. "I don't know, Geta," she answered honestly. "We—Saiyans almost never feel the pull before puberty."

"Well, I felt it with you, Usa." He bit down lightly on her shoulder and moaned at the thought of sinking his teeth into her.

"Geta?" Usagi resisted the temptation to bury her fingers in his hair and offer her shoulder to him. She felt a flutter in her stomach when he looked up at her, his eyes glazed with desire. Dear gods, he was _right_!?

"You just felt it now, didn't you?" When she gave him the barest of nods, obviously stunned by this new development, he kissed her again.

Usagi returned the kiss this time, opening to him when his tongue lined the crease of her mouth, and moaned softly when he began to kiss her in earnest. She was clutching at him then, desperately trying to feel every inch of skin she could get her hands on while he tugged at her training clothes.

Vegeta suddenly froze, gave her one more slow, passionate kiss, and then pulled away. "Sorry. Dreams never last long enough," he grumbled. "You're waking up, Usa." He tugged her back to him for a moment and simply inhaled her scent. Gods, he'd missed that smell.

"But…" Usagi tilted his chin up so she could look at him again, and nipped at his lower lip. "You said I won't remember this, right?"

He sighed and nodded. "That doctor gave you something, so it's unlikely you will. So I guess I'll just have fun seducing the shit out of you when you arrive," he added with a smirk. "Not like it'll be a challenge, though."

"I think you'll find me more difficult prey when I'm awake, Geta. After all, this is just a dream. But your challenge is accepted," she chuckled.

Vegeta frowned when she began to fade from his mind. "Usa, just remember one thing, if you can't remember anything else. When Father offers to send you to find me, don't refuse!" He was shouting now, not even sure if she could hear him.

"Love you, Geta!" Usa shouted back, grinning at his frown.

"Feh. Girl." The corners of his mouth tugged up a bit once she was gone, though, and if anyone had been in the Saiyan prince's bedroom, they would have seen him smiling in his sleep.

##################

Raditz took off for the training ring once all of the food was stored from their shopping trip, leaving Mako to deal with the other stuff. She put the cookware away before dumping her bag on the bed, and pulling out the one purchase she'd snuck while Raditz's back was turned. She laid it on the dryer, on top of Bardock's clothes, and went to work on making a pie to go with dinner.

A large roast with all the trimmings was on the table when Bardock got home, and the pie was cooling on the sill. Mako was so engrossed in a book that she didn't even hear him come in, and nearly jumped out of her skirt when she felt his hand on her shoulder, sending a little jolt through her.

He got a jolt as well, and was quickly learning not to startle a thundershaker. "Gods, girl, you need to learn to pay attention to your surroundings."

"I was reading, sorry." She closed the book and looked up at him, to find him looking at her as well. Gods, it would be too easy to get lost in those expressive dark eyes. "Anyway, dinner's ready. Dig in."

"What were you reading?" He asked, while he filled his plate.

"Saiyan cooking. Raditz bought it for me on the sly. Do you really drink wine with every meal? Gods, I'll be drunk before six."

"Lightweight." Bardock filled his cup from the bottle on the table, and knew instantly that his son had bought it, and not Mako. It was his favorite vineyard. "Have a cup, this is better than what I usually buy."

"Raditz said it was a special occasion," she chuckled, pouring a small amount for herself as she made herself a plate. She grinned when he gave her a questioning look. "He said that you should celebrate the fact that you're not eating that awful fucking instant shit, and that you never will again if he has any say in it."

"My brat needs to keep his mouth shut," Bardock remarked darkly.

"Your brat obviously loves you very much."

"Feh. Saiyan men don't do that word, woman."

Mako was clearly annoyed at that statement. Gods, he was such a jackass! "Whatever you say, monkey man." She ate quickly, and in silence, only glancing up twice to see if he was enjoying the meal. She brought the pie over when she was nearly full, and cracked open a new book, Saiyan Customs.

"That's not the same book."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. There's dessert if you want it," she added without emotion, turning to a page on male behavior. Mako snorted and tried not to laugh when she got to a part about the lack of Saiyan males' care for cleanliness.

"Why are you even reading that?" He wondered out loud, and wasn't even aware he'd actually said it until she answered.

"Because, Bardock, I'm stuck here. I may not be a captive anymore—Raditz made that pretty clear— but I have no home left to go to."

"The delegation that was sent to Althea will be back tomorrow. You could—"

"No, I can't, Bardock. Don't make me—I don't want to get my hopes up, ok?" She finally looked up at him from her book, fighting the urge to cry. While Mina and Ami had been ecstatic about the possibility of going home, Mako knew in her gut that Althea had been destroyed. The Saiyan armada left no planet that wasn't sellable.

"I didn't mean to upset you." Damn it, why did those tears in her eyes have to make him feel like such an asshole? "I understand, though. If you think you're stuck here, it won't be as hard to accept if it really is the truth."

"Yes," she said softly, pouring herself another cup of wine. Getting drunk suddenly didn't seem like such a bad idea.

The remainder of supper was quiet, as Mako kept to herself, and Bardock let her, lest he say something to further upset her. It was only when he put his dishes in the sink and moved to put his clothes away that he spoke. "What's this, woman?"

She looked up and managed a smirk, despite her depressing train of thought. "The one you wear looks like it's been through hell. I thought you might like a new one. That one matches your armor, too." She set her book down when he glared at her and a little snarl came out of his mouth. "What?"

She didn't know any better. _She didn't know any better_. That was the mantra Bardock had going through his mind when he set the green bandanna on top of the washer, away from his clothes. "Good night." He took the clean laundry with him, slamming his bedroom door forcefully behind him.

A little hurt at his rejection of such an innocuous gift, but even more concerned that she'd somehow hurt him unintentionally, she decided to clean up the kitchen and head for bed.

Her door swung open while she was changing her clothes, and she let out a yell, followed by a flash of lightning from her hand, that sent Bardock into her wall.

When he came to, he found a very concerned, slightly annoyed, and half-naked Mako examining the burn on his chest, her fingertips sending light little pulses of electricity into him. "Sorry," she said, "it's a conditional reflex. Staying in the palace for several weeks tends to make me react badly when my bedroom door simply opens." She shifted the nightgown she was holding against her chest, in an effort to cover herself better. It didn't really help.

Bardock found himself admiring the lacy, emerald green underwear, and the matching nightie clutched to her breasts. It was a very modest gown by Saiyan standards, but it was still guaranteed to show an awful lot of leg and a fair amount of cleavage. He didn't know why, but he strongly suspected that she'd bought a bra that matched the other two pieces. Bardock quickly pushed away the urge to want to see her wearing it, too, with just the panties. Right before he ripped it off with his teeth.

"Damn it, your heart rate is increasing. We'd better get you to Ami, Bardock. Can you stand?"

"I don't need a physician, woman, I'm fine." He tried not to blush at the fact that seeing her in such a state was what had actually effected his pulse, and not the jolt. "I'll knock from now on," he added dryly, when her hand shifted a little, making his skin tingle.

Gods, he needed to get out of there, and quick. Or at least find a way to make her get dressed and take her hand away.

"No, Bardock," she said firmly, "I'm a thundershaker, I know what I'm talking about. I stopped your heart when I hit you with that bolt, and restarted it when I realized what I'd done. Sorry about that, by the way."

"You've done this often?"

"Stopped someone's heart? Yes. Restarted it? You'd be the first Saiyan. Any other man that's entered my room unbidden has met up with a funeral pyre," she answered seriously. Mako sighed, still watching his chest, watching his breathing while she continued to help his heart work.

"How many retarded men have you put in the ground?"

"Dunno. At least one for every day I've been on Vegeta-sai. There was one day when three of them barged in and tried to pin me down. They had to give me a different room after that."

"Well, at least the quartermaster was smart enough to move you where those idiots' friends couldn't find you."

Mako smiled, but it was an expression laced with cruelty and dark satisfaction. "No, they had to move me because the room was no longer habitable. I electrocuted them so badly that they'll never get that smell out of the wood."

Bardock's interest sharpened at the sight of this vicious side of Mako. She definitely would fit in as a warrior if she stuck around. "Good," he growled with approval. "The little bastards deserved it." The flicker of sadness in her eyes made him growl harder. "And don't you dare feel sorry for a moment. Not for them. Rape is something that's never been tolerated on Vegeta-sai. A smarter man would have seduced you."

Mako blushed at that statement, and at the way he was studying her. That was when she realized that she was still half-naked, and she jerked her hand away from his chest to step into the hallway, shut the door, and shrug her nightgown on over her head.

Bardock's color wasn't too good when she opened the door. "Gods, I really did hit you hard." She kneeled on the floor and resumed her regulation of his heartbeat, relaxing a little when his breathing returned to normal and he didn't look quite so pale. "And what was the lesson we learned today, warrior?" She teased, once she was sure he would probably be alright in the long run.

"Knock?"

"That's part of it, yes."

"Oh?" He snorted, "and what's the rest of it?"

"Don't fuck with a thundershaker," she confided with glee. "And you Saiyans wonder why it took the entire armada to break us," she added with a hint of contempt. "Between my people and the firestarters, you all had one hell of a time."

Bardock knew her words to be true; they'd lost ten Saiyans for every Althean that they'd managed to kill. It had been a grisly war that no one had really won, and had finally required them to bring in moonbeam lanterns. The great apes had effectively wrecked the planet in the end, putting an end to the war. "I think I'm fine now." He needed to get out of that room before he said or did something extremely stupid. Like apologize for a war that he actually had nothing to do with.

"Try and stand. Sit back down if you get dizzy." Mako shook her head and snorted to see a great Saiyan warrior laid low when he stood and abruptly plopped back down. The fall wasn't totally controlled, and Mako could only take half of his weight to keep him from crashing into her dresser. "Ok, that settles it. In the bed, Bardock. Now."

His eyes hardened and he found himself in a staring match with her. "Not a chance, woman."

"Fine then, You'll go to bed in your own room, and you won't wake up. Take your pick, monkey man." Mako raised her eyebrows, clearly waiting for a response when he simply continued to glare daggers at her. "It's either this or the infirmary."

Bardock slowly rose, and snarled in frustration when he found himself starting to black out at the sudden movement. He would have fought Mako off if he could have, when she slipped under his shoulder and hefted him onto his feet, but right then, it was a battle just to remain vertical.

"Slowly," she advised, leading him to the edge of the bed. Once he was settled in the double bed, she placed her hand on the left side of his chest once more and resumed the treatment as she got settled next to him, pulling the covers up around them. "Don't worry, you won't wake up dead."

"I've done that once before, woman. It wasn't pleasant."

"Join the club. We have jackets. Hm," she chuckled, "we should get those made up, you know. Jackets that read, 'I Survived the Saiyan Genocide.'"

Bardock shifted a little closer to her, against his better judgment. He was simply seeking a little warmth; it was awfully cool in this room. "You have a sick fucking sense of humor, woman."

"So they tell me." She felt him shiver. "Cold?" Mako watched his chest with concern, and shook her head. "That's not good. We really should get you to the infirmary, Bardock. Where's your scouter?"

"No, woman, I'm _fine._" His hand yanked her back down when she sat up. "You've dealt with this sort of thing before, yes?"

"Yeah, but going cold is a bad sign, Bardock."

He noted the worry in her green eyes, and huffed. This entire situation as becoming a huge blow to his pride. "No, I'll be fine."

"Look… I can call Ami. I can have her come out here. She knows what to do for arrhythmia, and she can fix it. Discreetly." Those eyes were pleading with him, begging him to let her make the call and alleviate her concern.

"Fine! Call your friend, damn it!" Bardock dug his scouter out of his pocket and handed it over, swearing in Saiyan about thundershakers with hair-trigger tempers.

Mako immediately donned the scouter and gave it several sharp commands that patched her through to Ami. "I need you here, Ami. Go up to the princess's rooms and find Raditz. Have him bring you to his father's, ok? Don't raise an alarm or anything, or wake Usagi. It's not a dire emergency, but it _is _urgent."

"I'm already in her rooms, and she's awake, Mako. I'm her personal physician," Ami answered with a touch of pride. "Raditz? Mako needs you to take me to your dad's. It's important."

Mako heard a few quick phrases in Saiyan exchanged between Usagi and Raditz, something too soft for her to hear, before Ami told her they'd be there shortly and she disconnected. The thundershaker took off the scouter and handed it back. "She'll be here shortly. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got electrocuted," Bardock growled.

"I said I was sorry!" She snapped, finally losing her cool with him. She'd tried to be understanding and concerned, and frankly, she still was. But the fact that he was Saiyan—one of the warriors that destroyed her people—only courted her ire. "You could show a little gratitude, Oh High and Mighty Saiyan! I could have left your ass on the floor to rot!"

"Maybe you should have," he snarled.

They both jumped when her hand flew out and she slapped him. Mako hadn't meant to hit him, it had been pure instinct, and while she expected a pounding for the blow, she found herself growling right back at him. "You are such an asshole!" She finally yelled, hoping that the volume was hurting his superior Saiyan hearing. "All's you do is mope around and feel sorry for yourself, damn it! You let your house go to shit, you do nothing but work yourself to death every day in the ring, and then you treat your body as badly as your house by eating nothing but shit! You treat everyone around you like an inconvenience, even when they're clearly trying to help you or show you that you're not alone! And being dead is not going to make your situation any better, damn you!"

Bardock shoved her then, and she landed on the floor in a furious heap, as he climbed out of the bed and stepped out of the room.

He didn't make it far; Mako was cussing a blue streak when she quickly moved to his side and jump-started his heart again, finding it barely beating.

"Did we interrupt something?" Raditz asked, ushering Ami in through the door.

"No, you just missed me screaming my head off at your father for being a total jackass."

Ami knelt on the floor and opened her own subspace pocket, drawing out a mixture of medical items. "Let me guess, Mako? He didn't knock."

"Yeah," she sighed, fluffing her hair in embarrassment. "I managed to get him to lay down after I killed him and brought him back, but then he said something retarded and I went off on him."

Raditz growled at that, clenching his fists in anger. "So you stopped his heart again?"

"No," Mako snorted, "he shoved me off the bed, and stood up. He made it to where he is now. Idiot."

"What did he say that was retarded?" Raditz asked, now more curious than angry.

"He said that I should have left him for dead on my floor," she snarled. "Then I slapped him. Then I yelled. A lot."

"Oh, I heard every word of the yelling. Now it all makes sense. Feh, what a jackass." Bardock's son looked down at his father with a mixture of concern and exasperation. "Is the jackass going to make it?"

"Yes," Ami confirmed. "I'm going to give him something that should fix the problem, but he either needs to go to the infirmary for monitoring or Mako needs to continue doing what she's doing."

"Father hates the infirmary. He'd rather pound sand. Can you forgive my idiot father enough to watch him all night, woman?" Raditz snorted, this time in amusement.

Gods, she was going to regret this. "Get him in the bed," she grumbled. Mako kept her hand in place while Raditz easily lifted his sire and tucked him back under the sheets.

"Alright, Mako. Move your hand when I say to," Ami ordered, pulling a device out of her bag. "You injured his heart, and this should heal the damage." She smirked a little at the double meaning; clearly her friend liked this man if she'd bothered to not only bring him back, but also call Ami to ensure his survival.

The housekeeper moved out of the way when Ami told her to, and breathed a sigh of relief when Bardock's color improved and his breathing eased a little. "That should do it. Keep an eye on his pulse, and if you think for even a moment that he's returning to his previous state, call me immediately."

Mako nodded. "Thank you, Ami. And please, both of you?" She pleaded.

Raditz shrugged. "Don't worry, only we and Usagi know about this, and no one's going to run their mouths to the Elite. I'll tell them he's taking a day off tomorrow, no one will question it."

Nodding, she felt an ache of regret for what she'd just screamed at Bardock. The man was clearly in mourning, and the only thing she was doing was giving him more stress. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's hard enough watching him do this sort of shit to himself; it's not the first time he's nearly gotten himself killed since Mother died. At least that's what I've heard. I can only imagine what living with him must be like when he's acting the idiot. Now you know why I'm paying you so much."

Mako snorted at that. "Yeah, and I'm never going to argue about the wages again. I think I've got this, if you two want to head back and get some sleep." She dug Bardock's scouter out of his pocket and tucked it under her pillow for easy access, just in case. "I'll call in the morning, Ami."

"And if you don't, I'll come hunt for your dead body?" The genius asked with amusement.

"Pretty much."

Raditz and Ami left at that, and Mako sent a jolt of power into the lightswitch to cut it off before settling down next to Bardock for the night. She allowed herself to drift off, but only after settling her hand over his heart and telling her mental alarm clock to wake her at the slightest change in his heartbeat. She'd done this sort of thing before, so she knew she'd wake without fail if something changed.

Sure enough, she woke in the dark, unsure of the time, and sat up in the bed, leaning forward to listen to his breathing. His heart seemed ok, so she wasn't sure what had woken her. Maybe he was running a fever? Mako felt his forehead with the back of her hand, and found his temperature to be fine, so she laid back down, attributing her break in slumber to paranoia.

She woke again, and sat up like before, but this time she knew what had woken her. He was dreaming, and it didn't seem to be a very good dream, judging by his heartbeat and his increase in respirations. "It's alright," she whispered. "It's just a nightmare, Bardock."

Mako soothed his worried brow in the dark with her fingertips, and tried not to fight when he suddenly jerked her down against him, crushing her to his chest like she was going to fly away. "Shh, Bardock. Sleep." She continued to stroke his face, since that seemed to be relaxing him, and settled into the position she was clearly stuck in. Mako had wiggled just a little to get loose, but he'd only tightened his arms and growled at her in warning. She wasn't going anywhere, apparently.

Well, at least she didn't have a problem keeping an eye on his heart; she could clearly feel it beating against her own. "Sleep, monkey man," she snorted. That snort made her weak Althean nose catch a whiff of something wonderful, and she blushed at the realization that she was smelling whatever it was in his room that made her feel so light and happy.

"It wasn't candles," she groaned a little. "Gods help me, no man should smell that damned good." What if she…? No. No, no, a thousand times no. She was not leaning in and sniffing this man's neck. Gods, that was stalker-level, window-licker creepy.

Mako closed her eyes at that, determined to get some damned sleep before the night was through.

###########

Bulma glared at Vegeta a little over her coffee cup when he marched into the kitchen, full of that Saiyan swagger, with just a touch of smugness to his expression. "Another good dream?" She grumbled.

"The best," he replied, almost chipper in his response. He tugged her cup out of her hand and refilled it before fixing himself a large cup of coffee.

Bulma blinked and stared at him like he'd just grown a second head. He'd just made her a cup of coffee. Holy shit. That must've been some dream! Well, at least one of them had gotten some damned sleep; she'd been woken to the sound of him yelling something in Saiyan, and by the sound of it, the message was quite urgent. "What were you yelling?" She grumbled.

"I was telling her to take Father's offer. He's going to send her here," he finished brightly, as he fixed himself a plate of something to break his fast.

Bulma blinked at the sight of him actually smiling, and felt her lips tugging up in response. Damn it, did he realize how gorgeous he was when he really smiled? And not just that little smirk of his either, or that feral grin he wore whenever he was about to rip someone's head off. This was a real, genuine, happy smile. Bulma found herself eager to meet the woman that could make Vegeta, of all people, smile like _that_. "But wait, it was just a dream… right? Or do you Saiyan warriors sometimes have prophetic dreams?"

"Feh, woman, nothing like that. Usagi and I imprinted on each other at birth. I've been having real dreams about her for years. Usually just little things, like seeing her spar, little flashes of her doing everyday things. I've probably seen more than just those little flashes, but I never remember the dreams for more than a few days before they fade. I'd suspected that they were real dreams, but last night proved it. She got knocked out in a fight."

Bulma stared at him in wonder. "You spoke to her."

Vegeta nodded, and that smile was back. "I did more than speak, but she probably won't remember it. At least I will for a little while," he added with a chuckle. "It was her first real dream of me, I think. Plus she had a concussion, and the doctor had given her something to dull her pain."

"Oh." Bulma giggled at that and shook her head. "Poor girl, being molested by you in her sleep."

"Feh," he grunted. "It's an honor to be molested by the crown prince of Vegeta-sai."

"Pig," she snorted, trying not to laugh. Still, his confidence spoke volumes to her. "She enjoyed it, then?"

Vegeta's face fell a little at that, and he grumbled something in Saiyan before responding. "It was just kissing," he admitted.

"But she liked it?" Aw, this was too cute, Vegeta actually seemed a little nervous! She grinned when he gave a tiny nod. "Well, that's a start, isn't it?"

"She won't remember it," he sighed. "And I'm going to have to work for it. She still considers me to be her fucking brother," he growled. Vegeta looked at her sharply. "And if you tell anyone about this, especially that clown—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she cut with him off with a dismissive wave. "Pain, torture, next dimension. I've heard this speech before."

####################

"Father?"

King Vegeta opened his eyes from the light doze he'd been in, and looked down into a pair of cloudy blue orbs. "You had me worried for a few minutes, girl. How's your head?"

"Hurts," she admitted, squinting her eyes against the bright light in the infirmary. "I'll live, though." A flash of memory teased the back of her brain at that, and she heard a gruff voice in her mind, telling her the same thing. _You'll live._ She felt a flutter in her stomach at that, and knew she was forgetting something.

Something very, _very_ important.

"Usagi?" The king frowned at the far-off look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I had a dream, but I can't remember it. Remember…" She frowned and closed her eyes at that. "Don't forget, it's important," she whispered.

"Just clear your mind, brat."

Usagi did as she was told, and it hit her like a ton of bricks. "Vegeta," she gasped, opening her eyes.

"Me or my son?" He asked with interest. The king chuckled when she snorted.

"He told me you were sending me to find him. That's all I remember, though. There was something else, but… it's like the harder I try to remember, the more the dream fades." Usagi growled in frustration and tried to sit up, but found herself being pushed back down onto the narrow bed. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not, girl. You took a nasty blow to the head when you crashed into the ring."

Usagi's eyes snapped open wide as she remembered the fight. "Please tell me that I knocked Turles out, too," she whispered in fear.

"Broly did." Vegeta grinned at that. "Then he scooped up his mate after declaring that he was going to go claim her, and took off towards his father's house."

"Good for him," Usagi chuckled, relaxing into the pillows under her head. "And Turles?"

"He'll be tanked for a week or so. Maybe a little less. But he'll think twice before fucking with you again. I've appointed Broly as one of your guards, until I send you to find my son."

"So, you _are_ sending me. When?"

"A couple more weeks, so get in whatever training you need before then. You'll be stuck in a space pod for three months."

"The ink masters, then, while I'm recovering. There's some patterns I wanted to look at, and I'm useless for fighting right now."

###################

When she woke the third time, it was still dark, but there was a hint of twilight in the air, telling her that it was nearly dawn. Her head was now firmly pillowed against his chest, and they were lying on their sides, facing each other. "Heart sounds good," she sighed with relief. "Thank the gods." Closing her eyes again, she was starting to doze when she felt his chin rest on her hair, and his grip on her tightened slightly. "How do you feel?" She mumbled, knowing he was awake.

Bardock felt a lot of things right then, but mostly, he felt like a jackass. He'd been awake for over twenty minutes, simply holding her and going over the events of the previous night in his head. Romayna wouldn't want him acting like this. It was as simple as that. In fact, if she'd been there, she would have been kicking his ass so hard that he couldn't sit for a week. His late partner would have never tolerated this sort of behavior from anyone, especially him or one of their sons.

He found himself trailing his fingers up and down Mako's back, almost idly, as he thought about what he should and shouldn't say at this stage. Bardock settled on the object that had started all of this mess. "My bandanna… it's not just a fashion choice. It was an armband that one of my men wore. His name was Tora. He and all of my squad were killed by Dodoria's Elite, and that armband was soaked with their blood. I wear it now, whenever I go to train or to fight, so that they'll always be with me."

Mako sighed and couldn't help it when her cheek nuzzled his chest a little. "I'm so sorry, Bardock. I didn't mean any disrespect."

"I know you didn't. Which is why I came in a little later to apologize, after I'd cooled off. That was when you shocked the piss out of me."

"Sorry," she whispered meekly. "And… for what I said… I had no right, Bardock. When I get upset like that, I tend to say things that really hurt people. I'm sorry for that."

"A lot of what you said was true." He bent his head to kiss her brow, and felt her stiffen in shock. Bardock closed his eyes and moved his face to her hair, taking in her scent as he breathed. She was the best thing he'd ever smelled. "Now, go back to sleep, woman. I have a feeling that my brat decided that I should stay home from training for the day."

"Yeah, he did," Mako chuckled. "He's worried about you."

"Sleep," he ordered.

She had to admit to herself that she was ridiculously tired, so she relaxed in his arms again and closed her eyes in perfect trust.

Bardock did a lot of thinking while she dozed, her face buried in his chest, and he smirked a little when she shifted slightly in her sleep to wrap one of her legs around both of his. "Comfortable?" He grunted. He knew for damned sure that she was asleep when she sighed contentedly and slid her arm around him as well, her fingers trailing over his skin as she did so. "Gods, you'd better be asleep, woman," he groaned, once again burying his face in her hair.

He'd learned while courting his first mate that it helped quell the urge to claim a woman if he simply smelled her for several minutes, especially if she was innocent. Fuck it, he was going to have to take her. Yesterday, he was doing a fine job of resisting his Saiyan urges, but the last night had completely changed matters. Now that he knew how good it felt to hold her, how right she felt in his arms, he wasn't going to be able to hold back the flood for much longer.

###########

"Hm?"

Bardock resisted the urge to kiss her as he gazed down into her sleepy green eyes. "I asked if you'd slept enough. You were mumbling in your sleep, I thought you were awake."

"Time's it?" Mako slurred, snuggling against him for warmth. Gods, he felt wonderful, and she was just far enough into slumber to not feel self-conscious about the way they were holding each other.

He chuckled when her eyes slid shut and it seemed like she was about to doze off again. "When was the last time you ever slept in, woman?"

"FuckihIno." That crude, half-asleep statement was punctuated by a yawn as she adjusted the leg trapping him and shifted to get more comfortable. Bardock was a very cozy body pillow. "You?"

"Don't remember," he answered honestly. "I think it's about eight, though."

"Eight?" Her eyes slowly opened as she came back to reality. "Oh, fuck me running."

"What?"

"The delegation. I have to go, Bardock. I should have been there a half-hour ago!" Mako slid backwards, and for a moment, she wasn't sure if he was going to let her go. He did, though, and she blushed when she climbed out from under the covers to find her gown all in disarray. Her straps had slid down her arms, lowering the cloth over her breasts to the point that they were nearly exposed, and the hem was hiked up around her hips, clearly showing off her matching panties. Mako quickly adjusted all of this, but not before Bardock got an eyeful.

Now he wanted a mouthful. "Mako."

She froze like a deer in the headlights at the husky quality of his voice, stopping her search for something to wear to the palace. "Yes?" She jumped when she felt his arms slide around her waist from behind, and he rested his chin on top of her head. "B—Bardock?"

He closed his eyes in an effort to maintain control when he felt her trembling. "Thank you, for not leaving me there to rot."

Hearing her own words out of his mouth, she couldn't help but laugh nervously. "You're very welcome. Now, may I get dressed? I really need to hurry."

"Yeah." He released her reluctantly, and left the room so he could take a cold shower and change clothes. When he came out, he dumped his armor on the couch and started to tug on his shin and arm guards.

"Here, let me help," she offered, coming out of the kitchen. She set the pie from the night before on the table, and knelt gracefully to slide the shin guards into place and hook the straps. "There, just…" Using her quick and nimble fingers, she adjusted the fatigues underneath so they wouldn't chafe his legs. "Arms," she ordered.

Bardock held them out wordlessly, letting a woman help him dress for the first time since his mate had first taken ill. "You know Saiyan armor pretty well."

Mako's hands stopped what they were doing, and she looked away, her mouth settling into a hard line. "Yeah, I do," she answered tonelessly, rising from the floor to let him finish the job.

Shit. Bardock shook his head, mentally cursing himself. He'd just reminded her of the siege, hadn't he? She'd likely stripped bodies of their armor, looking for useful items, or had studied it to better know where to strike for a kill shot.

She finally came back a few minutes later, with her bag slung over her shoulder. "Ready."

"I didn't mean to upset you, Mako. It was meant as a compliment."

"I know, Bardock. I just don't take reminders of the siege very well." She led the way, and wondered if it was just her imagination when he seemed to hold her a little closer than necessary when he scooped her up and took off into the sky.

**Yeah, I wanted to make the Broly and Mina scene longer, but I'm TRYING to keep this rated T, lol. And I hate to seem like a review whore, but… well, reviews make me write faster! So if you want another chapter up, just drop me a line, even a couple sentences doesn't take NEARLY as long to write as an eight thousand word chapter! Come on people! Don't make me break out my super-power of Jewish Guilt! (No, I'm not Jewish, I'm Apache, but I loved the movie the Hebrew Hammer, and I regularly refer to my guilt powers as such). **

**As Ana pointed out, I inadvertently have made Bardock a little awkward with women, just as his sons and grandsons, so I'm very happy with that, even if I didn't do it on purpose! And to all you Vegeta fans, I hope you're happy with the dream! Don't worry, you all now know that she'll be travelling with Raditz soon, so only about… seven more chapters until they meet again!**

**Next chapter: Mako gets herself into a LOT of trouble. And I mean a LOT. Apparently she's been hiding a very big secret since her capture…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ah, it was honestly very nice to get sidetracked by a new project for a few days, and I was surprised by the reviews I got in the meantime. Thank you guys so much! SQUEE! See, your reviews make me squee, and dance with joy, and for that, I'm giving yall a fairly long chapter! :D Also, allow me a shameless plug, I will be posting something new VERY soon. It's a Goten/Rei one-shot, dedicated to my beta, AnaFrost, ,and her complete and total fangirl awesomeness. Look for it in the next 24-48 hours, and please review if you like it! I'll answer reviews at the end of this chapter, so read on, dedicated audience! I LOVE YALL!**

**Oh, and before I forget, I want yall to check out a song, and think of Vegeta while you listen. I don't do songfics, I think they're lame, but every once in a while a song inspires my mood while I'm writing. This one totally blew my mind away. I'm a huge Metallica fan, but their catalogue is so extensive that I find myself listening to just a couple of their older albums (Cliff Burton was the best bassist to ever live). So, get on youtube and check out The Outlaw Torn, by Metallica, from their album Load. This song completely embodies Vegeta, in my mind, and how he struggles with his darker half constantly. **

Usagi looked around the massive library and blinked in awe for a moment. "Wow."

"Highness! His Majesty told us you'd be paying us a visit!"

She simply blinked again at the tall Saiyan warrior that was rushing over to her side, grinning with pride, and finally managed a tiny nod. "Yeah, Father sent me to look at some patterns that I couldn't find in the main library. Sorry I haven't visited before now, I've been sort of occupied in the ring."

"No doubt, princess." The inker tilted her chin up and studied her heart-shaped face closely. "A warrior as gorgeous as you that isn't mated yet? It's practically a crime against our people!" He chuckled when she pulled out of his grasp. "No worries, princess, I'm happily mated. Eighty years next month, actually. Oh, forgive my manners. I'm Selypar, I run this place, and I'll be showing you whatever you need to know. Have you done any ink?"

Usagi nodded promptly, and used the arm that wasn't broken to push down the hem of her fatigues. "I did that when I was sixteen."

Selypar studied the sunburst tattoo carefully and nodded with approval. "Very good, I must admit."

Usagi shrugged. "Well, I could always draw, so it wasn't an issue. I did Tarble's tattoos as well, when he came of age, including his mark of the army."

"But—you have to have a commission for that, Highness."

"Vegeta-sai was a handful of asteroids orbiting our sun when I did his ink, you idiot." Usagi rolled her eyes and stormed past him, annoyed by his asinine assumption and the fact that she was in a considerable amount of pain. She was healing quickly enough, but even after a few hours she was still suffering from the occasional dizzy spell, a constant headache, and an intense itch in her arm from where it was mending.

The princess went straight to some books that she knew would contain patterns that she hadn't looked at yet, and started flipping through them. She didn't know what she was looking for, but something told her that there was a pattern in one of these books that she _needed_ to see.

"Please, Highness, forgive me for my insolence," Selypar said softly from behind her. "I was overly excited to have a royal in here for the first time since His Majesty, when he was a boy. Prince Vegeta took no interest in the art of inking."

"Yeah, I know," Usagi snorted. "And you're fine, Selypar, please accept my own apology; I got the shit kicked out of me this morning, and I tend to get bitchy when I'm in pain."

"I could find you some painkillers if you'd like," he offered.

"Not necessary, I have some. But they make me sleepy as all hell, so I'd rather not take them until it gets bad." Usagi stopped flipping through the tome in her hands and stared at a pattern of glyphs she'd never seen before, not even on someone's shoulder. "What's this one?"

"Ah, this is the pattern for Legendary. Obviously, it's never been used," he added dryly.

"Hm, maybe one day," Usagi said with a shrug. She whipped out a little notebook and sketched the glyphs, though not the whole pattern, before turning the page and going on to other patterns that she already knew just from seeing other warriors' tattoos. First class. Second class. Third class. Elite.

Usagi smiled at that one. She'd been born as a second-class female, and only because of her mother's rank and standing. But she would surely be promoted to First class Elite whenever she decided to get her ink done. She briefly dreamed of being an Elite First, but only men became Firsts, and were gifted with the much-coveted and respected sword of rank. Never women.

Ah, well. It was nice to dream.

She idly sketched her house symbol on a fresh page, and looked up when someone thumped some things down on the table, next to the book she was looking through. "Oh, hi. Sorry, I was just doodling."

"Highness," the young man said, "Selypar instructed me to set you up with the basics. I'm Peasu."

"Nice to meet you, Peasu. I'm Usa to you, not Highness, ok?" She liked him immediately, he seemed like the quiet and studious type, which was rare among her kind. But his ki level seemed fairly high for a Saiyan scholar. She took the really nice, large sketch pad from the pile and smiled at it. "This is perfect."

"Yeah, I guess," he mumbled, taking a seat next to her.

Usagi studied his rigid posture, and it hit her then. He didn't like her? In fact, it seemed that he resented her. So much for liking him. "What's your problem, boy?"

"No problem," he grunted, sliding her a leather kit. Upon inspection, she found it full of different types of needles, and a large bottle of black ink.

"You are so full of shit," she snorted. Usagi dug out her own kit, the one she'd made when she'd been on Gure's homeworld, and selected just a few needles from the Saiyan kit that she didn't already have. She took the ink as well, since it was of excellent quality, and she hated staining her fingers whenever she made her own. "And I have my own needles in those sizes. You can have them if no one else wants them."

Peasu nodded his thanks; they were high-quality needles, and were the most common sizes that were used. Usagi had only taken some oddly shaped needles that weren't used often. "And my problem is the fact that you've just waltzed in here and have automatically become an inker. I worked at it for years."

Usagi shrugged. "So have I. I just did it off-world, Peasu. And I'm not asking for anything I haven't earned. If I can't draw, if I shouldn't ink, then someone needs to tell me. I'll be upset about it, but I'll accept the decision if I really do suck ass at it. Ink's permanent, I wouldn't want someone to be stuck with my handiwork for their whole life if it looks awful."

And he'd expected a high-and-mighty Saiyan princess? Peasu shook his head in wonder. "Seems I've misjudged you, Usagi. My apologies."

She shrugged and looked through a book he'd brought her. "It's ok, I didn't mean to chafe anyone's sensibilities by being here. Father just told me to get outfitted and do any studying I needed to before I leave in a couple weeks."

"Oh? But you just got here, Usagi. Where are you headed?"

"Earth. Raditz and I are going to go find Prince Vegeta." She smiled at that and shook her head. "I can't wait to see his face when I land. He's going to freak out."

"You haven't seen the crown prince in how long?" Peasu asked curiously.

"Fifteen years." Usagi lifted her bad arm out of habit to fold the pad down that she was sketching on, and ground her teeth from the sudden pain.

"Princess Usagi, you really should take a painkiller or something. There's no shame in it." Peasu wished he hadn't said those words when those blue eyes glared at him with a touch of anger.

"Geta and the king taught me to embrace the pain. It makes you stronger. And as long as it doesn't impede whatever I'm doing, I'm not taking anything. I'll be healed soon enough."

"I meant no disrespect, Highness."

Usagi's eyes softened, and she shook her head. "I know you didn't. It's just… growing up as I did… a half-breed female doesn't get cut any slack in the ring as a child, you know. I tend to get defensive as hell about that sort of thing." She sighed heavily and dug around in her bag. "I'll take half, ok?"

The inker sighed in relief and nodded. He was just starting to like the princess a little bit, he didn't want her mad at him. She was definitely not what he'd expected. She wasn't the overbearing, spoiled-rotten, stuck-up bitch that he had assumed she'd be. Of course, everyone around the palace had spoken of how well-liked the princess was, but Peasu had just assumed that it was everyone sucking up to the crown to curry favor.

He passed her a glass of water, and she broke the pill in half and promptly swallowed it. "There, now where were we?"

Peasu pointed out a few more designs that were less common; these were mostly considered medals for extreme courage and fearlessness in battle. He watched her sketch them quickly, and when Selypar called him over to help with something, he quickly cracked open a few more books for her to peruse in his absence. "I'll be back shortly, Usagi."

"Take your time," she replied, totally distracted by what she was doing.

###############

"We meet again."

Usagi turned and blinked at Vegeta in surprise. "What? How did you get here?"

The prince chuckled and shook his head. "This happened before, while you were knocked out, remember? I'm starting to think that those painkillers are the whole reason that we're able to speak like this, despite us being imprinted."

"Imprinted? But I thought that was just a story that—"

"Ugh, girl, I've already explained all of this to you before," Vegeta growled impatiently. "You really don't remember a damned thing from the last time, do you?" He watched her face scrunch up as she thought as hard as she could.

"Only that I have to go with Raditz. Something about going with Raditz, to find you. That's it." She felt guilty at the flash of sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Geta. So… this is real?"

The Saiyan prince nodded, and wrapped his arms around her tightly when she threw herself into him and hugged his neck. He quickly explained the imprinting bond once more before kissing her on the forehead, aching to kiss her like he had before. But no, he wouldn't risk it. He didn't want to scare her off, if he did that, she might not come to Earth. He'd have plenty of time to make her crazy when she was on the same planet as him, and unable to hide from him for long.

"So… what have you been up to all these years?" Usagi asked curiously, slightly in shock from seeing him, even if she had before and couldn't remember it.

Vegeta shrugged, and sat down in the white void with her on his lap. "Training, what else?"

"Not surprised," she giggled. "Me too, though. I trained with Tar-Tar until I surpassed him a few years ago. He's strong though, in his own right. He's mated now, and expecting his first child. Ugh, he's going to chew me out, too. I've only called him the one time to tell him I landed on Vegeta-sai without any problems."

"Call him when you wake, then," Vegeta suggested. "What were you doing when you fell asleep? It's not like you to take naps."

"I must have dozed off from the painkiller I took. I'm in the ink master's library, going over tattoo designs with one of the younger men, Peasu. He's nice, he just needs to get the stick out of his ass."

Vegeta felt himself go stiff at the mention of another man. "You like him?" He barely managed to sound nonchalant about it; he could practically feel his blood boiling.

"Feh, Geta, don't get so overprotective," Usagi snorted. "He's what? Five years younger than us? I don't like younger men, and he's just not my type."

Vegeta laughed a little at the disgust on her face. "You have a type, then?" He teased. "What is it?"

"Not a scholar," she huffed. "I'll only be satisfied with a mate that can go toe to toe with me in a fair fight." She sighed heavily. "I dream about him, you know. He has green eyes, but that's all I can ever see of his face. Maybe I'll find him before I'm old and gray."

Vegeta didn't realize how tight his grip had gotten on her shoulder and waist until he heard her squeak with alarm and struggle against him. Whoever this green-eyed warrior was, he would beat him to within an inch of his life, and he would **kill** him. Usagi was his, damn it!

He loosened his grip and mumbled an apology for hurting her; he really hadn't meant to, he'd just reacted.

"Gods, Geta, what's gotten into you? Stop acting like an overprotective older brother, it's just a dream I've been having."

"Yes, but the same dream, for how many years?" He guessed, letting her up.

"Since I was sixteen," she admitted. "Ever since the heats started kicking in. Gods, that was a hard couple of years for Tarble and Gure while I struggled with my temper."

Vegeta frowned and looked away so she wouldn't see the guilt written all over his face. If he'd returned, like in the original plan, he would have been there when the fierce instinct to mate kicked in around her sixteenth birthday. He would have taken care of that for her, and she wouldn't have had to suffer through it alone. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." Not many Saiyan females went that first year after maturing without being claimed; it was almost unheard of. And without sexual relief of some kind, a female Saiyan in heat was unbearable to be around. They were temperamental as hell, yelling and beating the shit out of someone one moment, crying and depressed the next. They made Bulma on her period look like as docile as a newborn kitten.

"Feh, I survived it. What's more, Gure's planet survived it. I had to go to another nearby planet to take out some of my rage where no one else would be harmed. It was awfully fun blowing up mountains, though," she admitted. "I wrote my name in the dirt with a ki blast, too," she added with a grin.

"Can you see it from space?" Vegeta chuckled. They'd once done something similar as children; it was equivalent to little boys writing their names in the snow.

"Fuck, Geta, if I broke out a high-powered telescope, I could read it clear as day from Vegeta-sai. 'Usagi was here, bitches.'" Usagi blinked as she felt a fierce tugging from behind her. "Shit."

"You're waking up. Do me a favor."

"Sure, be quick, I can feel myself fading."

"Take one of those painkillers before bed tonight. I'll take a nap in the middle of the day after my workout, and maybe I can see you again." Vegeta's face softened from his usual cold mask; he was still mad about the green-eyed man she'd been dreaming about, but he wanted to see her again. He craved her very presence. "And I'm sorry I got mad."

Usagi smiled and pecked him on the lips. "You were just being a good brother."

"_Not_ your fucking brother," he mumbled, as she faded.

#################

"Mako, where have you been?"

She slid in beside Mina, near the front of the throne room, standing beside several other Altheans. It was sad how few of them were left, really, how few of them had even been taken and not slaughtered. Bardock had elected to stay outside, where he'd run into a few members of his squad, and was engaged in conversation with them. "I'll tell you later."

King Vegeta came out of a door behind the throne, and took his seat before the small crowd. "The delegation from Althea arrived late last night from their journey. I would ask that the leaders of their respective houses step forward to receive this news."

The king grumbled under his breath when no one moved. "Really, now. I'm prepared to let this bit of insolence slide, under the circumstances, but this is ridiculous."

A few gasps were heard as Mina stepped forward and curtsied. "I would remind his Majesty that none of us would reveal those leaders when we were captured."

"You will reveal them now, if you know what's good for you, girl," he growled in reply.

Heads turned as Mako stepped in front of Mina and also curtsied. "I just want to know what the news in, Majesty. I'm Mako, the leader of the thundershakers."

Vegeta bowed his head to her in a gesture of respect. "So, the little cook is the warrior that took out at least two dozen of my men."

"Total, or just the one battle, Majesty?" She replied with a savage little smile.

"Ah, I forgot to count all the idiots that kept coming into your room," he added dryly. "What's your bodycount now, girl?"

"At least fifty. I stopped counting a long time ago, Majesty." Mako curtsied again when his eyes sparkled with anger. "What is the news from home, if it pleases you?"

"We'll send all of your people home to repopulate or to stay here as you wish, girl. But there were no signs of sentient life on Althea."

Cries of grief and outrage flooded the throne room, but Mako just stood there, her jaw dropping a little in shock. "Surely… surely _some _of us must have survived if the planet did," she insisted. "Did the search party look everywhere?"

The king nodded gravely, his attention on only the brunette in front of him. "The search party found no signs of life, not even cold campfires, girl. But—" He stopped talking and froze when the ground began to tremble, and the girl in front of him clenched her fist in an effort to gain some illusion of control. "We captured no earthmovers," he said softly, dangerously. The room had gone so quiet at the feel of the ground moving that everyone in there had heard him.

"You captured one," Mako ground through her teeth, fighting the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I thought you said you were a thundershaker?" The king froze when the girl's hands were engulfed in a blue glow that crackled and sparked. "You're both."

"You're astute," she retorted.

"And you're one wrong word away from execution." Three Saiyan guards stepped forward at the ungiven command, all of them taking fighting stances. Mako didn't hesitate to take one as well.

"WAIT!" Mina shoved herself between them all. "Majesty, please. Mako took all of this much harder than any of us. She fought tooth and nail to protect her family, and lost all of them. Five brothers, both her parents, and all of her friends, except for us."

"You're Broly's mate, and my daughter's handmaiden."

"Yes, Majesty. I'm Mina." She took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "I'm the leader of the lightbenders and the windtalkers."

"Any other leaders in here who would like to announce themselves?" The king said dryly, motioning for his guards to stand down. It would be hardly diplomatic towards the Altheans if he had one of their leaders killed, only because she'd reacted violently to the news that all of her people were dead. He'd deal with the fact that she was an earthmover later. Right then, that didn't even compute for him.

Another sigh came from the crowd, and the king focused on a blue-haired girl. "You're my daughter's personal physician, and Nappa's mate. Don't tell me you're one of them, too?"

Ami nodded in defeat. "I'm also her handmaiden."

"What house, girl?"

"The waterwalkers, sire."

"Anyone else? What about the lightbreakers? Did we capture any of those?"

"No," Mako answered bitterly. "Taru was killed protecting her father, and the rest of them went down crushing the enemy."

"Watch your tone, girl," the king snarled. He shifted his eyes to the warrior pushing his way to the front, and shook his head when he grabbed Mako by the shoulder. "No, Bardock, that won't be necessary."

"I apologize, Majesty, for the behavior of this woman. She's a member of my household, and I'll deal with her," the warrior replied firmly.

Mako jerked her arm out of his grasp, but the look he gave her silenced her immediately. "I was under the assumption that you were still in mourning, Bardock."

The warrior opened his mouth, then closed it, biting down on his tongue for a moment before slightly shaking his head. "As of today, that time has passed, sire."

"I'm glad to hear it, Bardock. You've mourned your mate's passing longer than any warrior I've met. Romayna would be happy to know that you're finally moving on." The king looked at Mako again and scowled. "She is yours?"

"My housekeeper," he said with a hint of a groan.

"Did you know she was an earthmover?" The king was satisfied that he hadn't known when Bardock looked at her sharply and whispered something heated in her ear.

"No," he finally answered, after a quick exchange of words with the girl. "I only knew of her thundershaker heritage."

"So, girl, will you be going home?"

Mako bit down on her bottom lip, feeling her temper rising again, and the room shook just a little. She shut her eyes tightly in an attempt to stop the shaking, and once she finally managed it, she opened them again. "You left nothing to go back to. Majesty," she added after a few moments, her voice full of venom.

"Guards," the king ordered firmly.

"No, sire!" Bardock shouted, stopping the three Elite from trying to take her. "I ask you to please forgive her disrespect, and let me deal with her at home, in private."

Vegeta motioned for his guards to fall back, and regarded one of the strongest fighters on the planet with a grave expression. "You have served me well, Bardock, and for that I'm grateful. I have your word that she'll be punished?"

"Yes, sire, you do."

"Alright, then." The king leaned forward and stared Mako down, who was keeping her mouth shut, even if she couldn't mask the hatred for him in her eyes. "Woman, you have no idea how lucky you are to be working for this man. Few would vouch for a servant just as he did. By all rights, I could punish him as your employer. So I suggest you get that tongue of yours under control before someone does it for you."

Before Mako could say another word that would surely get her thrown in a dungeon or Galick Gunned, Bardock slung her over his shoulder, ignoring her protests until they got out of earshot of the palace. "Shut up, woman!" He finally yelled at her. "Didn't you learn anything back there!?"

"Yes, Bardock! I learned that all of my people are dead! Quite a lesson, don't you think!? Now put me DOWN!" She yelled. The earth shook again, and she inwardly flinched at her loss of control. She'd managed not to reveal herself the entire time she'd been in captivity, but today seemed to be a record for earthquakes on Vegeta-sai.

Bardock set her down roughly, and grabbed her by the front of her shirt, tugging her in close, nose to nose. "You could have been _killed_, Mako. Don't you understand that?"

"And your point? Just add me to the pile of earthmovers that were slaughtered on Althea, Bardock. Hiro. Ruka. Sets. All of them were killed _just_ because they were earthmovers, and those are just the ones that I saw die with my own two eyes! What's one more victim to the glory of the Empire, huh!?" She shoved at him then, and stomped away, leashing the urge to try to shake the whole planet and swallow everyone whole.

She was surprised and a little pleased when he didn't follow her, either in an effort to let her cool off, or because he also needed to calm down a little before looking at her again. Mako had just gotten control of her raging emotions when she finally looked up and found herself in an unknown part of the city. She huffed in frustration when she realized that she didn't even know where the hell she was. "Aw, just great."

Bardock wasn't anywhere in sight, so she looked for the palace to get her bearings, but couldn't find that, either. "Fuck."

"Lost, girl?" A large, heavy Saiyan approached her, grinning when she backed up a step.

"Fuck off, ugly. I'm not lost, I just wandered the wrong way." Mako crouched, and her hands glowed when he kept on coming. "Any closer, and you're going to be glowing, asshole."

"Please don't tell me that you're that mouthy thundershaker we've all been hearing about." The warrior stopped moving, but flared his ki a little to call for back-up. "You really need someone to teach you the meaning of respect."

"Yeah, but it ain't gonna be you." Mako spat in the dirt and formed a ball of energy between her palms, prepared to let it fly if she had to.

"Aw, she thinks she can take us," someone said from behind her, before grabbing her around the waist.

Mako shrieked more in outrage than fear, and her power responded, electrocuting the man that held her. She landed on her feet when he dropped her, and didn't spare the smoking body so much as a glance. "You wanna try too, fat boy?" She asked smugly.

Fat boy formed a ball of ki in his hand and grinned when she hesitated at the sight of it. "Oh, you've realized that ki isn't so easy to counter with your gift, haven't you? I think it's time for that lesson, girly."

"No, it's not," Mako growled, and finally let go of the control that had been hanging by a thread. The earth trembled around her, and she slid out of her shoes, taking a stiffer stance than the one she used to fling lightning. "One more move, fat boy, and you're getting buried alive."

"Bury me, and the entire squad behind you will beat you to death," he countered.

Mako froze, but the ground beneath her kept talking, while balls of lightning engulfed her hands once more. "Bring it, fat boy."

She ducked and rolled, barely dodging the ki ball that flew for her head, as the earth shot up from beneath him and launched him skyward. She caught a glimpse of at least ten men stalking towards her; damn it, fat boy hadn't been bluffing, and they were all smart enough to hover a few feet above the ground so she couldn't bury them all.

Mako slid back into a thundershaker stance, and the air crackled around her and the amount of energy she was gathering. She hadn't done this kind of fighting since the siege, but it was easy enough to slip back into that cold, comfortable killing mode. "Who's first?"

"Down!" A woman's voice shouted, and Mako barely threw herself to the side in time to keep from getting barbecued when a plume of flame shot past her from behind and took one warrior full in the face. "Fight, damn it, I can't take them all!" The Saiyan woman yelled at her, when she turned to glance at her savior.

"Like you had to ask," Mako snorted, drawing her arms out in front of her to gather the electricity she'd amassed. She threw it at three warriors that were grouped together, and they fell like stones. She charged at another, fists and feet flying, all of her blows laced with a painful jolt that sent her opponent back a few feet. He went down with minimal effort.

Mako didn't bother to look at how the raven-haired firestarter was faring, since she was too busy sending bolt after bolt of lightning into every Saiyan male that came at her. The last one left stared her down, ignoring the other woman, and in her rage, Mako clenched her fist and called down a lightning strike from the sky, frying him on the spot, before collapsing onto her knees.

The ground stopped shaking after it swallowed up all of the bodies, and Mako stared ahead blankly.

"You hurt?"

"I'm fine," she answered flatly. She always went cold for a while after a kill; it had been that way since the siege, and it would probably never change. "Thank you."

"No, you're not. Which way is home? You shouldn't be in this part of town, not if you can't use ki. And not if you're a woman."

Mako looked up at that statement, and met a pair of intense, angry violet eyes. "You're a woman."

She snorted and laughed without humor. "I'm Rei. I'm the only female who isn't Elite who can't be claimed by any man, if you haven't heard of me."

"I'm Mako." She shook a little as she stood, fighting a wave of dizziness.

Rei supported her, wincing at the static shock she received for her trouble. "You used too much power, woman. A thundershaker should know better."

"I was mad. I just wanted to take someone out."

"Well, you took at least seven, so hopefully that will sate your lust for battle," Rei replied bluntly. She easily took all of Mako's weight when the brunette's legs went out from under her. "Shit, woman, you're a fucking idiot."

Rei looked up when she heard a growl, and held up a ball of flame. "Warrior, if you don't want to get your ass fried, I suggest you find another woman to try and claim."

The warrior slipped out of his crouch and shook his head. "I know her. I thought you were the one who attacked her, Rei." He knelt at her side and shook the brunette, who was out cold, and icy to the touch. "Mako?"

"Fuck me in the ass," Rei swore, shaking her. She felt for a pulse, and cringed when she found it barely there. "Shit, her spark's out, I'll bet you my armor."

"What do I need to do?"

"We need another thundershaker to keep her heart going until she's strong enough to get it resparked."

The warrior whipped out his scouter and connected with someone in moments. "Ami, it's Bardock. Mako's spark went out." There was a few moments of silence, and he visibly paled. "Is there anything I can do? Can I use my ki to do the same thing?" He nodded sharply. "Alright, I'll try."

Rei backed away when he slipped his hand up Mako's shirt, and his hand began to glow, the light pulsing at the rhythm of an acceptable heart rate. "Damn it, woman, wake up," he ground through his teeth.

"So, you're Bardock. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you in the ring. Is she yours?"

Fuck it, Mako was unconscious. "Not yet."

"You know… if you felt the pull with her, you could just bite her. It should tie her life force to yours just enough through the bond." Rei shrugged when he glared at her. "It was just a suggestion."

"Take the call," Bardock said suddenly, before frowning and nodding. "Yeah, Ami, I'll meet you there. Yes, it's working for now."

"I guess ki is similar enough to lightning?" Rei asked curiously. "I'll have to remember that."

"The waterwalker says that energy is energy. I'm pulsing my ki around her heart to make it  
work. Gods, Mako, you're so retarded," he added with a grunt, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Yeah, she is. But she took out seven warriors without batting an eyelash. At least. I didn't keep count when they were coming at her."

"And you just stood there?" He snapped angrily.

"No," Rei huffed, "I barbecued a few of them. Then she opened up the earth and buried them all. Not bad for a non-Saiyan."

"She's a fierce opponent," Bardock admitted.

"Sounds like you've gotten shocked a few times, too," she chuckled. She looked down at the thundershaker, and shook her head. "You need help transporting her? I can carry her while you keep doing… whatever it is you're doing."

"Yeah, thanks," he answered gruffly, concentrating only on who he now considered his future mate. Bardock only realized that his hand was resting on her breast when Rei lifted her and he felt it jiggle a little. Thank the gods she was unconscious, she'd likely be pounding him into oblivion. Or trying, at least.

They flew quickly, keeping their kis at the same level as Bardock guided them in the right direction, and once they'd gotten her in the house, Bardock nodded towards the hall.

"Which room?" Rei asked. She noticed his hesitation, but when he nodded to the right of the bathroom, she took the brunette into what was clearly a man's bedroom, and laid her on his bed. "You are going to take her, then?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I feel better about protecting her if she's in here."

"I'll get it," Rei offered, when a knock sounded at the door.

Bardock nodded, and ran his fingers over her jawline, her throat, then stroked his thumb lightly over her lips as he continued to use his ki to keep her alive.

"So you did feel the pull," a smug voice said from behind.

"Shut up, Usa. How pissed is the king?"

"Mildly, but nothing I can't handle. Mother and I convinced him not to have her executed after the earthquake a little while ago. He was pitching an icy little fit he felt it, and I stopped him from ordering the guards to your house."

Bardock let out a woosh of air. "Damn it, girl, thank you. I owe you my life, and hers."

"Yup. Which is why you're going to do me a favor in return."

"Gods. What is it, girl?" Usagi never called in return favors unless they were ridiculously enormous.

"You're going to bite and bed Mako before seven days is up. Frankly, I'm in awe of your control so far, Bardock. Any other warrior your age would have taken her the moment he saw her."

"I was in mourning, girl." Bardock's free hand continued to touch her face, her arms, and the fingertips against her breast lightly stroked her as well. Gods, he thought he'd die a little if she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Not anymore, since you decided to announce it to the entire royal court. That's the only reason I'm giving you a week. I'm letting you get used to the idea, Bardock." Usagi sighed and laid a gentle hand on his arm, the one that he was using to trace Mako's cheekbone. "You did feel the pull, didn't you?"

"Yeah," he answered roughly, "I did. I just wanted more time, Usa. Mako doesn't deserve a mate that's still mourning her predecessor. Even if I never felt the pull with Romayna, I still cared for her very deeply."

"I know, Bardock. I know." Usagi hugged him tightly with her good arm. She nearly gave into the temptation to tell him to forget it, that he could take all the time he needed, and she would deal with her father discreetly, but the king had been firm in his decision. Bardock would claim Mako, tying her to Vegeta-sai, so that the leader of the thundershakers and the only known earthmover wouldn't cause an uprising among the last of the Altheans. Vegeta knew that the Altheans would lose, but only after the Saiyans took heavy casualties, and he didn't want any more pointless bloodshed.

He had been ready to order Mako's execution, but Usagi had swayed him by confiding that Bardock had felt the pull. And the king simply couldn't find it in him to take Bardock's second mate from him after he'd just lost his first. Vegeta had lost his first mate, and he knew just how gut-wrenching the grief could be. He knew of the downward spiral into depression that Bardock would experience if Mako died, too.

"That's the favor, Bardock. One week. Now…" Usagi turned, opened the door, and ushered in a young man that Ami had brought with them. "This is Naro. He's one of the few thundershakers left, besides Mako. He'll respark her heart."

Naro stepped up to the bed, and rolled his eyes when Bardock growled at him. "Well, if you're getting possessive now, just wait a minute," he chuckled, moving his hands to the buttons on Mako's shirt. He nimbly undid them, exposing the cream-colored bra she wore beneath, while he completely ignored Bardock's threatening glare. "Alright, Bardock. We're going to switch off at the same moment. You're going to cut off your ki on my count, so I don't get burned, and move your hand quickly so I don't zap you."

"I'll live with a little zap," he said flatly.

"Yeah, but if I zap her with the wrong amount of charge, it could fuck her heart up, and we don't want that. So, you're going to listen to what I say, or you're going to go find another thundershaker. And there aren't many of us."

"Fine," Bardock ground through his teeth. "The count of three, then go. Your count, boy."

"Glad that you see it my way, Saiyan," Naro replied, not bothering to hide his contempt for Bardock's race. "One. Two. Three."

Naro and Bardock smoothly switched places between heartbeats, and a tiny arch of electricity leapt into Mako's chest from Naro's hand. "There we go, easy as that." Naro pulled his hand away and moved out of Usagi's way when the princess moved forward to heal Mako's bruises from the brawl in the city.

"Thank you, Naro," Usa said softly, squeezing his shoulder.

He gave her a little bow. "For a Saiyan, you're not too bad, Highness," he said with a grin and a wink.

"Yeah, yeah. Out of here, Naro, unless you want a beating," she said sweetly.

"You'd let me beat him?" Bardock asked with amusement.

"Well, I don't think I would've had a say if he'd been in here for this," she replied, moving her hand to the front clasp of Mako's bra to unsnap it. The brunette spilled out of the garment, and Usagi carefully began to heal the ki burn on her chest that went all the way into her sternum.

Bardock tried to avert his eyes, but found himself merely gazing at his woman's perfection.

"You're breathing awfully heavy, Bardock. Do you need to step out of here, or can you keep it together?" Usagi asked in concern for both him and her patient. She was healing little electrical burns now, leftovers from Naro and the fight. Getting burned a little during a brawl was just part of being a thundershaker or a firestarter, so Usagi wasn't too worried about those injuries. "Heh, Bardock, look at this," Usagi said with a touch of pride.

"What?"

"She broke her wrist… she was probably punching the wrong way, but she kept on fighting. Good for her." Usagi easily healed that, too, before removing her ruined skirt and pulling a blanket up to cover her. "You could monitor her physical status better if you bit her."

"I'm sure I could."

Usagi rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in defeat. "Fine, then, Bardock. Do things your way, I don't give a fuck. Just make sure you're bound by dawn on the eighth day, or I won't be responsible for what happens, ok?"

Bardock nodded, more to himself than her, when she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her, leaving him alone with his mate. Her last line hadn't gone misunderstood, either. What she was asking of him was not a favor. It was a royal decree from the king himself. "Damn it, Mako, I'm sorry," he sighed, bending down to nip at her lower lip in a Saiyan kiss. Bardock rested his forehead against hers for a moment, thanking the gods that at least she was still alive. He'd make this work, he'd do whatever he had to in order to make her happy. He didn't want her to regret being tied to him, even if she had so obviously felt the same pull as he had. "Sleep, beloved, I'll be back in a minute," he whispered.

Bardock heated up the pie that they'd forgotten in their haste, and after rooting around in the fridge for a moment, he'd put together a large tray of food for them both. She was still out when he returned, so he set the tray on the nightstand, stripped his armor and his shirt, and climbed in beside her.

That proved to be a bad idea, since the feel of her bare chest pressing against his own made the Saiyan in him leap to the forefront. He groaned when he felt himself growing hard for the first time in months, and couldn't help but give in the urge to press it against the crease of her hip. The sensation made him shudder and moan with longing. "Sweet gods, please give me just a little more strength," he prayed softly.

Apparently they'd listened, since Mako was slowly coming to. "Thank the gods," he whispered, sliding a hand up her chest to check her heartbeat. "Your spark went out," he explained, when she opened her eyes and immediately shivered at the realization that she was nearly naked and he was cupping her breast. And he was aroused, too. _Very_ aroused. "One of the other thunder—"

"Naro," she said hoarsely, her throat dry from all the yelling and the constant use of electricity. "I thought he'd gone into hiding, he escaped from the palace."

"Usagi brought him, after I'd spoken with Ami. She must have known how to locate him." Bardock rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes to keep from looking at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Burned out, tired, angry. Sad," she added after a moment. "And I'm sor—"

"Don't," he said quickly, cutting her off. "Just… not right now. I don't even want to think about the king, let alone talk about him." He shook his head when he heard her draw breath to speak again. "Later."

"Ok," she answered meekly. "But Bardock… could you please get your hand off my tit?" She gave him a nervous look when his eyes cracked open to regard her seriously. Then she felt a thumb slowly tracing her nipple, and gasped at the sensation. "Bardock… please, don't," Mako begged weakly, her eyes slipping shut as he continued the slow, gentle motion. That simple touch felt so good that she wanted to turn those words into 'don't stop.'

"I won't," he promised, clenching his hand into a fist as he withdrew it. "You're hurt, so I'll wait."

"Wait?" She squeaked, trying to slide away from him. Mako only found herself drawn flush against his chest, losing what little gap she'd had between their bodies.

Bardock growled a little when she weakly pushed at him, and nipped at her shoulder. "Stop it," he snapped, "you're making it worse, Mako."

"Making what worse?" She pushed at him again, trying to get away, and found herself drawing power into her hands as a last resort.

Bardock rolled on top of her and pinned her arms down, snarling savagely. "Woman, if you're strong enough to fight me, you're strong enough for me to claim you. So cut the shit and lie still. And if your spark goes out again, I'm giving you a beating you'll never forget once you've recovered. So reabsorb that lightning **right now**."

Mako trembled beneath him as she did as he ordered, pulling the power back into herself. "You're scaring me, Bardock."

He bent his head then, the force of his hands completely at odds with the gentle way his mouth moved over hers, and he felt her lean into that first kiss and shiver with pleasure. Bardock slowly drew back when he felt her begin to relax under him and return it, knowing that he couldn't continue kissing her like that unless he was willing to immediately pin her down and take her. "I didn't mean to, Mako, but to be fair, you scared me, too."

Unable to do anything but give him a tiny nod, Mako just stared at him like he'd grown a second head. He'd been afraid for her? Gods, that was a staggering enough thought on its own, besides the obvious fact that he also wanted her. And holy shit, he'd kissed her. Mako found herself fighting the very strong urge to lift her face to his and feel his lips on hers again.

She would have been willing to believe that this was some sort of a scare tactic for the incident at the palace, except for the fact that he was hard and ready for her. That, and they were in **his **room, the one place she wasn't allowed to enter. Yeah, he clearly wanted her for more than just cooking and cleaning.

"Please stop giving me that look, woman."

"What look?"

"That terrified look. It's insulting for you to even think that I might hurt you," he growled, rolling off of her and back onto his side. The moment she thought she was free, she was tucked right against him once more, and he was burying his face in her neck, nipping and kissing, and his hands were sliding up and down her back. "Relax, woman. I just need to do this for a little while. Trust me." When she stiffened a little, he fought down the urge to bite her, to prove his dominance. "You don't trust me?"

Mako forced herself to relax a little, but her hands were still shaking, resting on his chest. He was Saiyan, one of the people that had destroyed her homeworld, but yes. She did, and with her life. "I do… I'm just… this is a little much all at once, ok?"

Bardock nodded in understanding, his mouth once again moving over her neck, making her shiver with pleasure. He moaned a little when her breathing grew heavy and she tipped her head back to give him better access, while her fingertips began to lightly whisper over his chest. "Mako, I want you so badly."

She gave a little whimper when he wrapped her leg around his waist and ground himself against her, showing her just how much he really wanted her. Gods, it felt so good that she just wanted to return it with a thrust of her own and let him take her right then.

Thankfully, Bardock could feel his control returning just a little from the contact, just as hers was slipping, and rested his head on her shoulder, while his hands alternated between playing with her hair and making soothing motions on her back. "I think I'm ok for now. Are you hungry?"

"Thirsty."

"You should have said something, Mako. I would have gotten you a drink." Bardock slid out of the bed and set the tray up before propping her up with some pillows and smirking at her attempts to cover herself. "Too late, woman, I've seen you."

Her face reddened at that. Not only had he seen her, he'd touched her, too. That thought flew right out her head, however, when he handed her a glass of juice, and she gulped it down eagerly. "Much better," she sighed. "It felt like I'd chewed sandpaper." She lifted a brow when his scouter beeped loudly in his pocket, and he just ignored it. "That could be important."

"Not more important than you," he said flatly, making her blush again. Bardock took the call, though, and wasn't surprised to see his oldest son. "**What**, brat!?"

"I'm at the door, Father. I brought Mako some books, and some takeout, since I know you can't cook for shit."

"Fine." He heard the door open, cut off the communication, and handed Mako her shirt. "Put this on," he ordered. Once the shirt was on, he opened the bedroom door. "In here, brat."

Raditz looked her over seriously when he stepped into his father's bedroom. "That was quite a show at the palace, girl." He noticed that her fist was clenching in anger, and shook his head in worry. "Girl, you need to control that temper of yours, I'm dead serious. And that's bad coming from someone like me. If Father hadn't stepped in…"

"I'd be dead, I know it. But I said what had to be said, what no one else had the fucking balls to."

"Which is why the king didn't order your execution, Mako," Bardock interjected. "He knows he made a mistake, and now he's trying to make up for it. He's freed all of the Altheans that are choosing to stay, and sending home any who choose to go."

"Home!?" She yelled, turning her anger on the two Saiyans in the room. "WHAT home!? There is **NO HOME**! You heard him yourself, all of the Altheans are gone, Bardock! All of them! Not one of my brothers survived. I'm one of the few thundershakers, and the only damned earthmover that's left in the universe; do you have any idea how that feels!? No, you don't! So don't give me some line about me forgiving the king for what he did to my people, because I'm not hearing it."

Mako slid out of the bed and called up a ball of lightning when Bardock growled at her to get back in the bed. "Don't make me do it, Bardock. You might win, but you're sure as fuck gonna know I was there come morning." When he didn't make a move to stop her, she rushed past him and his son, and slammed her bedroom door behind her. Locking it with a flick of her hand, she threw herself onto her bed and cried.

**Devafiend: While the response is fresh in my brain, let me say this. The next chapter will be borderline M, with a warning. And I guarantee you that when Usa and Vegeta finally get together, I will have changed the rating to a solid M. It's about to getting smutty in here, yall. ;) Also, while I feel slightly guilty about keeping you up reading all night, I've very flattered! The best things I've read have had the same effect on me, where I simply couldn't stop turning pages, and everytime I'd look up at the clock, it'd be like, 3 hours later, and I'd be like "oh shit! … eh, one more chapter won't hurt…" Hehehe, so thank you for what I consider to be one of the highest of compliments to my writing! **

**SeleneAnad: Thank you for clarifying that I did mention the fact that Mako was an earthmover in chapter 6! When you've got so many stories going on at once, it's hard to keep it all straight. And with that, let's move onto…**

**AnaFrost: My awesome and wonderful beta. Girl, thank you so much for helping me keep this shit straight and pointing out my continuity errors and spelling/grammar problems. You've seen me type in AIM, so you know how badly I spell when I'm going at 100+ wpm. **

**Selene088: The way I keep posting these longer chapter, it might not be that long afterall, lol. And since you like Mako and Bardock, I hope you liked this chapter. I guarantee that you'll LOVE the next one! :D If I get a lot of reviews, I'll post it quickly, I promise. It's not completely finished, but reviews=motivation for me. **

**Krissy: Why girl, do you keep reviewing anonymously? How can I ever message you back via PM if you keep doing this? Roflmao… because I would have told you something privately about Vegeta and Usagi's meeting up not being smutty right away. That man's gonna have to work for it. He's her brother, after all. At least in her eyes. :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Aaaaand I'm back, WOO! That was a nice little break while I dicked around with that double-shot, which I'm actually really proud of, yay! Turles is back in this chapter, too, but it's not what you think…. Read on, loyal readers, and please review! It motivates me to no end! And if you want something extra to read, check out my Goten/Rei doubleshot! A reader's already told me that it's hot and steamy and sexy as hell, and I don't mean to toot my own horn, but… it IS! :D**

**WARNING! Smutty smut smut ahead! Ok, not really. Just 3rd base, which I consider just on the borderline of T/M, so read on, and if you don't like it getting steamy, get the fuck out! :D**

Usagi turned and grinned when she saw Vegeta, immediately leaping into his arms. "Brother!"

"Not your fucking brother," he snapped good-naturedly. "I guess it _is_ the pain-killers that's helping us do this. They must be opening your mind up or something."

Usagi shrugged, and simply hugged him tighter. "Who cares, Geta? I'm more interested in actually remembering something from one of these dreams. I only remember seeing you the last time, and you were mad about something, and then you said something about the painkillers," she babbled rapidly. She grinned when he separated from her. "So you're napping?" Her grin turned into a smug smile when he nodded. "Feh. Naps are for girls."

"Shut up," he groaned. "I didn't need a nap, I did it to see you again, damn it!"

"Always so defensive," Usagi giggled, plopping down on her butt and laying on her back to look up into the endless void.

Vegeta stretched out next to her, sighing with satisfaction when she automatically readjusted so that she was resting her head on his shoulder. There were just some things that you never forgot, even after growing up.

##############

"About damned time!"

Usagi cringed at the undeniable annoyance and anger on her brother's face. "Tarble, I'm so sorry. Vegeta reminded me last night to call you, and I would have sooner, but I've been so busy fending off suitors and then there's my handmaidens, who don't even last more than a few damned days before they get claimed by some randy Saiyan, and then there's the inking, and Father, and Mother, and—"

"Usa, slow down!" Tarble ordered, gaping at her run-on sentence. "I'm not mad, it's just that you've been gone for a fortnight and I only got a call when you landed. I was worried. _We_ were worried," he amended.

Usagi sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry, Tarble. How's Gure and the baby?"

The worried look was gone, and replaced with a fierce pride that made him look just like his father and older brother. "They're great, Gure's taking a nap right now, actually. Did you want me to wake her up? I know she'd love to talk to you."

"Oh, no, don't disturb her on my account. I actually just woke up myself, and Geta was very very insistent that I not forget to call you. That's pretty much all I remember from the damned dream, though. Funny, how I only seem—"

"Our brother was in your dream?" Tarble said quickly, effectively cutting her off before she began to ramble once more.

"Yeah, it's that imprinting bond thing from when we were babies. I don't know if it didn't work before because we were just a little too far away, or if it's the pain pills I've been taking for my arm… oh, I got banged up in a fight against a suitor," she explained. "I won, though."

"Thank the gods for that."

"Yeah, Turles is definitely _not_ my type," she huffed. "Arrogant, pain in the ass monkey… he's in the tank right now, at least. I might be able to get some damned training done if my arm heals before he gets out."

Their conversation went on for well over another hour, while Tarble filled Usagi in on the village brats and how they were faring, Gure's increased appetite, and Usagi filled him in on her handmaidens, matches, and training. The whole Ami and Nappa thing had him rolling with laughter, once she'd explained Ami's personality, intelligence, and diminutive stature. He sounded just as worried for Mako as she was, though.

There wasn't much more she could do for the earthmover, but hopefully the woman would be able to take the reins of her fate in hand without getting killed along the way.

#####################

"You have to eat sometime, Mako," Bardock called, tapping on her door. "Hell, you have to piss sometime."

It was already the next morning, and other than the occasional sound of sobbing or a soft uttering in Althean, no one had seen or heard Mako. Mina and Ami had come by, each of them escorted, of course. The door still hadn't opened, despite their genuine pleas for her to let them in.

So Bardock had set a watch on her door, refusing to get any sleep until she came out. He could break down the door, but that would only anger her further, and she **had** to come out sometime, right? Unless…

He rose from the chair he'd been perched on all night, and went to the kitchen, fishing around in the drawer for a screwdriver. Heh, that would do the trick. Bardock smirked in triumph as he took the doorknob off of her door as quietly as possible, and swung it open to find her passed out on her bed. "Stubborn," he sighed, scooping up his little bundle of earthmover.

Bardock easily transferred her back into his own bed before stripping to his skin and climbing in with her. He spooned her, wrapping his tail around her thigh for good measure in case she tried to get away while he was sleeping, and quickly passed out.

Mako was still asleep when he woke, and he furrowed his brow in worry. Her pulse seemed normal, as did her breathing, but… then he noticed the totally empty food tray. Had he really been sleeping so hard that he hadn't felt her wake? Dear gods, he must have been exhausted. She must have gotten up to pee, too, because his tail was wrapped around her other thigh. Damn, the woman was slick, to be able to slip out of bed that silently.

But it gave him hope when he realized that she'd actually climbed back in with him, rather than retreating to her own room again.

"Mako?" Bardock bent his head and bit down lightly on her shoulder when she didn't answer, his hand sliding up her nightgown to cup her. He ran his thumb over her gently, and smirked when she gave a sleepy little moan.

Bardock rolled her then, so that she was facing him, and nipped at her lower lip. "Wake up, woman."

"No," she grumbled. "Fuck off."

Feeling a little playful for the first time in forever, he grinned, and started sliding her nightgown up her body. "Alright, I don't mind giving you a reason to wake up."

Mako's eyes fluttered open and she moaned when she felt something warm and wet close over her breast, the action drawing little spirals of pleasure between her legs with every little pull. "Bardock?"

"Mmhmm," he answered with his mouth full, while his hands held her to him and his tail slowly crept into her underwear.

Mako bucked against him when she suddenly felt something soft and fuzzy stroke her intimately, and weakly tried to push him away. "No, Bardock, please don't," she begged.

"I won't," he answered, as he shifted his mouth to her other breast, while his tail went to work. "I just want to make you feel good, Mako, so stop fighting me."

Alright, she had to admit that whatever he was doing with that fuzzy appendage felt _wonderful, _and it was getting more and more difficult to keep from moving her hips in response. Wait, he said he wasn't going to make love to her, didn't he? Ok, fuck it, then. She may as well enjoy what he was doing, in that case. "You won't?" She asked, just to double-check.

"Promise," he purred, shifting his mouth to her neck. He moaned then, as she moved her hips and whimpered with pleasure, tipping her head back to give him better access as her hands slowly explored his body.

Mako gave another soft moan as his hand replaced his tail, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body. She kissed him then, sighing his name as she opened to him, slowly stroking her tongue over his.

Bardock groaned and thrust against her hip as she began to shake, her kissing growing more passionate as she closed in her peak. He then began to tremble too, when her hand closed around him and moved, silently telling him to take his pleasure as well.

It didn't take him long, but he held out just long enough so that they were coming together, both of them moaning in a mixture of ecstasy and disbelief at how wonderful their lover felt. Mako cracked her eyes open and gazed at him in wonder once they'd managed to calm things down just a bit, easing back into soft kisses and light petting. "Feel a little better?" She asked breathlessly, fighting the urge to offer herself to him completely.

"Yeah," he gasped, sliding his hand away from no man's land. "Heh, we made a mess, didn't we?" Bardock chuckled when she looked down and blushed. "Come on, let's get cleaned up."

Mako didn't even try to argue as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bathroom, clearly in a much better mood than she'd ever seen him. She let him strip her down and cut the water on, and finally managed to speak when he began to wash the both of them. "So…?" And that was all she could get out, she was just too busy wondering what in the hell had just happened.

"So?"

She huffed at his tiny smile. "Are you teasing me, Bardock?"

"Maybe." He spun her around then, and began to wash her hair. "You feel well enough to do some training today? You really need to get that earthmoving under control before you get us both in trouble."

"Yeah, that…" Mako let him rinse her hair, relaxing into his arms as he massaged her scalp. "It's only because I haven't used it in months. Back home, I used bits of that power doing little everyday things, like I do with my thundershaking."

"I've seen you use it when you cook, and turn on lights," he replied in understanding. "What do you need to do to get the earthmoving under control?"

"I was waiting for the right time to ask you if I could plant a garden. Working with the earth will help it."

"Woman, you could have done that the very first morning, and I wouldn't have said anything," he chuckled, closing his eyes in bliss when she began to wash him in return, focusing on the more male parts of him.

"Yeah, but someone would have the very first time they felt the earth move," she laughed. "You would have come home to find a dead housekeeper surrounded by bodies of the Elite."

Bardock lost the beginning of an arousal at that thought. "Woman, you know why your gift is such a danger."

"Yeah, I do." If she got it in her head, she could cause a horrible earthquake and swallow the city, or harden the ground to the point that it was impossible to plant anything. "But I wouldn't do that. I won't stoop to the same level that the Saiyans would." Mako looked up at him fearlessly when he growled at her. "What? The army slaughtered people wholesale, women and children included. You too, Bardock, I'm not that damned ignorant. I know about Kanassa."

Bardock shuddered at the thought of Kanassa, and was grateful that when he'd been resurrected, it had without the curse of foresight. Some things were just better left unknown. "I'm not the same man that I was then, Mako. None of the Saiyans are the same since the genocide, and you know it."

"Which is why I haven't electrocuted you in your sleep," she answered simply. Mako sighed after a moment, shaking her head. "This isn't going to work, you know." When he glared at her, she just continued to shake her head. "Really, Bardock, think about it. I hate Saiyans. No Saiyan can trust me. Even you're questioning me about my abilities." She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, leaving him in the spray. "I don't think there's a point to it, but I'm going to take the king up on his offer and go back to Althea."

Bardock pushed back the shower curtain to look at her. "Woman, you will do no such thing. You're staying here."

"Why, Bardock? So I can be universally hated by a people that I hate as well? I think I'll pass." Mako sighed and fought back tears when he stepped out of the shower and wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't make this so hard."

"Do you really hate all Saiyans?" He asked gently, resting his chin on the top of her head.

An idiot would have understood what he was really asking. "No, Bardock, I don't hate you. I don't hate Raditz or Usagi, either. But I can't stay here. I'll go speak with the king, and apologize, and see if—"

"No," Bardock said flatly, "the king's already made his decision. If you go to the palace, it'll only make things worse."

Mako trembled a little. "What was his verdict?" She asked nervously. "And why haven't you told me this yet? Was it death?"

"Gods, no, woman. You'd be dead already if that were the case. Likely me as well," he admitted. "I wouldn't have let them take you. Usagi informed me that we've been ordered to pair-bond."

"What?" She whispered, stiffening against him. Mako shook when she felt his teeth close gently over her shoulder. "Bardock, no… I don't want—"

"Yes you do," he grumbled patiently. "You felt it too, when you first saw me. A feeling in your gut. It's the pull, woman. It means that you're mine. The king wanted to order me to take you right away, but Usagi managed to get us a week. We have six days left."

The Saiyan warrior sighed heavily, planting a kiss on her shoulder, where he wanted to mark her, and then used his ki to dry them both. "Get dressed, Mako, before I haul you back to the bedroom."

She snorted at that, and dropped her towel on the floor since she didn't need it anymore. "Fine," she huffed in defeat, stalking back to her room to dig in her subspace pocket. She grinned when she returned, and his eyes popped a little at her choice of clothing. "It's earthmover clothing."

"I didn't think you wore pants."

"They're shorts, monkey man. I tend to get pretty filthy when I'm moving, so the less clothing that I ruin, the better. Speaking of which…" She brushed past him, wearing only a sports bra and some very tiny shorts, to strip the bed down and ball up the linens, tossing them into a pile of dirty laundry in the corner. "I bought some new linens the other day, and those need to be washed."

"Gods, woman, you're obsessive," he chuckled. Bardock simply got out of her way as she hauled all the laundry into the kitchen and dumped it in the washer, followed by a trek back into his room so she could make the bed.

"Clean house is a happy house," she said brightly, when he muttered something in Saiyan about her ridiculous habit. "And I'll bet this is the first time your bed's been actually made in months," she snorted with amusement, tugging everything into place.

"Why make the bed when I'm just going to unmake it again in a few hours?"

"Men," she sputtered in annoyance.

Mako yelped when he pressed himself against her from behind, pushing her down onto the sheets. "What are you doing?"

"Unmaking the bed again," he replied simply, flipping her over to kiss her.

She gave a helpless little moan when his hand slid under her bra, and he kissed her like he was a drowning man and she was made of air.

But no, damn it. She needed to stop this now, before things got too serious and she wound up mated to a man whose people had destroyed her planet. "No," she choked out, gently pushing him away. "I can't do this, Bardock."

Mako tried not to tremble when he growled at her, pinned her down, and bit down on her shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise. "Please, Bardock, no. I don't want this, damn it."

"You're a very bad liar, Mako." He rose up just enough to look at her. "I just wonder if it's me you're trying to lie to, or yourself," he added angrily. Bardock snarled when she gave him a light jolt, a clear signal to get off of her. "Fine, woman. I'll give you your space… for now. But you're a fool if you try to deny how right it felt only an hour ago."

Damn him to hell, he just had to bring that up. "I'm going outside to work," she grumbled, sliding off the bed once he released her.

Mako took off her shoes once she's found an acceptable spot for a garden, and dug her toes into the red sand of Vegeta-sai. It wasn't home, but it was earth, and it comforted her. She sat down in the sand, her choice of clothing giving her optimal skin-to-dirt contact, and took a handful of the sand, holding it upright and letting it blow out in the breeze. "Hardly arable land for anything that I've grown in the past," she sighed.

She studied the sand and wondered how much power it would take to remedy that problem. Well, she'd start out with a small bit of sand first, and see if she could actually turn it back into dirt.

Bardock jumped and came running outside when he felt the ground tremble slightly. He'd been trying to get a hold on his libido, while finding some understanding for Mako's point of view, but not it seemed that there was no point. If the king had felt that tremor, he'd likely send someone to deal with the source.

He found her completely absorbed in a small patch of dirt in front of her, and wondered where she'd gotten such rich, black soil. "You need to be careful with the shaking, woman."

"I know," she answered distractedly. "I'm trying to be, but transforming sand into dirt takes a good bit of power." She stood, and began to trace a pattern in the sand as she walked, drawing a border for her garden. "Hm, about six feet deep should do it," she mumbled, and the ground began to shake lightly under her feet as she continued to walk, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

Bardock simply leaned against the wall of his home and watched her expression of peace and contentment. Fuck it, if this was what made her indescribably happy, he'd deal with the king himself.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Bardock gave the king a respectful nod, but held up a single finger in a signal to wait, when Vegeta stepped forward to confront Mako. She still had her eyes closed, and her feet were moving in a pattern on the sand—which was turning into dirt before their very eyes—that almost resembled dancing.

It was obvious that the girl wasn't doing anything to cause harm, so the king held back, leaning against the house alongside Bardock, while he watched the earthmover's little dance. He had to admit that it was an intriguing thing to watch; it appeared that she was actually turning the sand into arable land.

Mako finally stopped with her back to them, and opened her eyes, sighing in the purest joy she'd felt since she'd arrived on Vegeta-sai. She sunk to her knees and smelled the dirt. "Ah, all mine," she chuckled. "And you're going to make such a pretty little garden. Maybe I can get Ami and Mina out here to make a little raincloud, and I can try to grow a rosebush."

She jumped and spun around, landing in the dirt on her ass when she heard someone clear their throat loudly. Mako's hands shook, and she formed an arc of lightning between them when the king stepped forward. "I wasn't doing anything bad," she snapped at him.

"Peace, girl," Vegeta growled, leashing the urge to smack her upside the head for her insolence. He indicated to the dirt beneath her feet. "This is quite impressive."

Mako only absorbed the electricity when Bardock moved to stand beside her, subtly placing himself just a little in front of her in an obvious sign of protectiveness. She was still a little annoyed at Bardock, but she appreciated the gesture nonetheless. King Vegeta was just a little scary, in her opinion, so she'd gladly take having that solid body between him and her any day. "Thank you, Majesty," she finally choked out. "I'm making a garden."

Vegeta nodded at the obvious, but bit back a smart-ass remark. "Do you know what you will plant?"

Mako shrugged a little and shook her head. "Vegetables, maybe a few flowers. I don't know what grows here, though."

He studied her thoughtfully; this girl was a lot more subdued than the last time he'd seen her. Apparently Bardock had gotten it through her thick little earthmover head that disrespect would not be tolerated. Probably not, though. Right then, the girl only looked a little sad, and was likely dwelled on the loss of her people. "I'll send some seedlings over when I return to the palace, girl."

Vegeta smirked when her eyes widened a little in surprise and she gave a little nod. "Um, thank you," she said, at a loss for words.

"You're welcome. Maybe you could sell your services of converting the sand into soil for some of your neighbors. If you plan on staying, that is. I'm sure it would lessen some of their apprehensions about earthmovers."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Bardock said slowly. His son had told him that more than a few people wanted Bardock to relocate. Raditz had refused to give his father their names. "I'll put the word out sometime today."

The king looked at Bardock and nodded. "I'll send those samples," he said, and decided that right then would be a good time to take his leave. He didn't want to start an argument with Mako for the second time in two days.

She stepped forward, however, when it was obvious that he was about to take off. Vegeta had made a gesture of peace that obviously rankled his pride, and she felt the need to show him that it was accepted. If she was stuck on Vegeta-sai, she certainly didn't want him as an enemy. "Majesty, would you care for something to eat?" She offered hesitantly.

Vegeta powered down and gave her a surprised little nod. "Some refreshment would be most welcome, girl. Thank you."

"Just give me a moment to clean up, please." Mako went around her future mate and into the house, where she stripped down in her bedroom and put on some clean clothes after using her gift to push the dirt off her skin. It was such a minimal use of power that the earth didn't shake, at least. The king and Bardock were waiting for her in the kitchen when she returned, dressed in a pleated skirt and top that matched her light green underwear. "I guess it's not too late for a late lunch," she remarked, as she dug through the freezer. She pulled out some meat, and used her shaking to thaw it without even thinking.

Mako looked up and blushed. "Eh, uh, sorry. I'm so used to using my thundershaking in the kitchen."

Vegeta shook his head, a little curious about what other everyday things this girl could do with her powers. "Woman, you're cooking me something to eat. By all means, do whatever it is you normally do."

"Ok, then," she answered nervously, and turned to the stove, where she cut on the oven and one of the burners with the pointing of a finger. Mako quickly got in the rhythm of fixing food for both of them, while she listened to them discuss something in Saiyan, far too quietly for her Althean ears to hear. They were probably talking about her.

Once the meat was cooking, she pulled down three cups and another bottle of that good wine that Raditz had bought.

"Ah, thank you," the king murmured, accepting the cup. Bardock thanked her as well, and they returned to their conversation once she was out of earshot.

Mako took a healthy swallow of her wine and shook her head. She was actually cooking lunch for a king, and that king was very likely talking about her becoming the mate of the man he was talking to. And that king had been contemplating her death only twenty-four hours ago.

It was all a little staggering.

She served up seasoned porkchops and a large salad less than fifteen minutes later, and quickly added some butter and sliced fresh bread to the table. Hopefully that would be a satisfactory, rapid`ly-put-together lunch for the Saiyan king.

Apparently it was, because the very first bite the king took of his salad had him making a noise of delight. "You make this dressing yourself, girl?"

Mako gave a nod and a shrug, clearly telling him that it was nothing special. "I can make you some if you'd like."

The king nodded, pleased, and took a bite of the meat. He gave a little groan as the food practically melted in his mouth. "Bardock, if you don't claim this girl, I'm taking her back to the palace and she's working as my personal chef," he chuckled.

Bardock snorted and shook his head. "My ass, sire. Mako's my cook, now, whether or not I claim her. And if you think this is good, you should have eaten what she made for breakfast the other morning. Or that roast from the other night."

Mako reddened as both men continued to shower her cooking with compliments while they made tiny grunts of approval at every bite. The cook stayed quiet throughout the meal, refilling all of their cups whenever the wine ran low, and eating her food in silence. She had to give herself a little pat on the back, though; the porkchops _were_ the best she'd ever made.

"You'll cook for me again, girl?" The king asked hopefully, once his plate was clean, and he was leaning back in his chair, sipping at his wine.

"Sure, what do you like to eat?" Mako asked, whipping out her little notepad.

"Shit, girl, as long as you cooked it, I don't care what it is." He handed her his plate when she began to clear the table, and looked to Bardock. "I must admit, Bardock, I'm a tad bit envious. Although, you're likely going to be fat in six months," he snickered.

"I know," he rumbled good-naturedly. "A man could easily get addicted to just sitting around and eating her food." Bardock groaned when she set the pie from yesterday in front of them. "Just looking at that thing is making me fat."

"Well, then you might as well enjoy it, since it's already doing the job. You're too skinny anyway," Mako teased. She blinked in surprise when he pulled her down and kissed her firmly, despite the fact that they had an audience. "Well, if I get a kiss for that," she said tartly, once he'd released her, "I'd better never make my Althean cheesecake."

"Cheesecake?" Both men said at once, eyeing her with excitement.

"Oh, shit," she chuckled, returning to her cleanup. She glanced over, and resisted the urge to laugh at them. Even the king looked like a little boy whose mother had just mentioned that she was going to bake cookies. Mako smiled and shook her head in amusement. "Well, the way to a Saiyan's better nature is definitely through his stomach, isn't it?"

"Girl, this is the first time I've ever agreed with that statement," Vegeta replied. "If you make me a cheesecake, you can name your price."

Mako looked up at that, and it was obvious that the king had gotten Bardock's attention as well. It hit her then; she could ask for him to make Bardock leave her alone… but was that what she wanted? "Um, uh… just get me the ingredients, Majesty," she finally replied softly. She didn't miss the surprised look that Bardock gave her, followed by a flash of emotion in his eyes.

"I'll get you double the ingredients, girl. It wouldn't be fair for your mate—" He noted her blush at that word, "—to be denied such a treat, while I eat mine like a greedy brat. I might not even share it with Toma," he added mischievously. "What do you need?"

Mako dried her hands, pulled out her notepad, and thought for a minute before scratching her temple with her pencil. "Um… I'm not too sure, honestly. I just always sort of throw it together without thinking, you know? Cream cheese, for sure. Um, vanilla? Sugar… graham crackers? Do you even have this stuff on Vegeta-sai?" She asked curiously.

"If we don't, I'll import it," he said flatly. "In fact, here." The king handed her some credits, but when she tried to refuse them, he simply shoved them into her apron pocket. "You get what you need for that dessert, girl, and bring it up to the palace when it's ready. If there's anything you need that you can't buy in the market, have your mate call me."

There was that word again. She felt her cheeks burn, but managed a nod. "Sure thing, sire."

"Time for me to get back to the palace," the king said with a hint of annoyance.

Mako giggled a little when the king became that little boy once more and eyed the pie with regret. She stepped forward and cut him a large slice, put it on a plate, and wrapped it with some tinfoil. "For the road?"

Vegeta looked at Bardock and grinned. "When she's not screaming at me in my own throne room, she's quite delightful."

Mako let her hand spark up a bit and grinned evilly. "I can always change that, sire, if you prefer."

"Smartass," he snorted. The king looked at Bardock, who was clearly waiting for him to punish his mate. "If I wanted her dead, warrior, it would already be so."

"Same here," Mako interjected. "And I hope you realize that, sire. If I wanted this city buried under the sand, I would have done it on the first day I'd arrived."

"Point taken, girl." Wanting to get off such an unpleasant subject that would wind up with her yelling at him and getting herself into trouble, he pointed at her apron pocket. "Cheesecake, girl. Tonight, if possible."

"Tomorrow," she promised. "It has to bake for a while, and then fully cool. It'll take half the day, so I'll start it in the morning."

The king left after that, thanking her once again after sneaking a taste of the pie she'd wrapped up for him. He'd groaned at the taste of it, and was sorely tempted to order her ass right back to the palace to make him supper. But no, the way Bardock was eyeing his future mate made it obvious that he was planning on claiming her the moment they were alone.

And sure enough, once Bardock had returned to the kitchen after escorting the king to the door, Mako found herself pressed against the counter and being kissed with barely restrained passion. She relaxed in his arms and returned the kiss, but gradually eased back.

"Mako," Bardock rasped, pulling her back to him.

"No, Bardock, not… just not yet, ok?" She whispered nervously. "This is just too fast."

Bardock moaned in frustration as he crushed her to his chest and breathed in her scent. He'd give her a little time if he had to, he owed her that much. Mako could have demanded just about anything when the king had offered it, but instead she'd chosen to stay with him. For that, she deserved a little bit of adjustment time, even if he couldn't give her long. "No," he said quickly, when she tried to slip out from his embrace. "Just give me a minute," he added, sighing when she relaxed into him once more.

Once he'd gotten himself under control, he gave her a gentle kiss and pulled away. "I'll escort you to the market, if you'd like to get your bag," he offered. "I won't have you going alone after yesterday."

"For once I agree with you," she sighed. "Even I get tired of fighting after a while."

"Feh. You? Never." Bardock led her outside once she was ready, and scooped her into his arms, relishing the sensation of holding her. She was obviously enjoying it as well, but trying not to, judging by the determined set to her jaw. Well, he wasn't having that, damn it. Bardock kissed her lazily once they'd landed, sighing with pleasure when she returned it.

"Father?"

The gruff, familiar voice made him reluctantly pull away from Mako, and he turned to give a nod to his younger son. "Turles."

The younger Saiyan folded his arms over his chest and regarded the Althean seriously. "So, you're the bitch that took out a whole squad."

Bardock was immediately between the both of them. "You'd better watch what you say, boy. You're not too old for me to take you behind the shed."

"I had friends in that squad, Father," he snarled in return, "and now we can't even give them a proper funeral pyre, because she buried them all."

Mako snorted. "Some friends, a few of them seemed pretty interested in trying to rape me." She noted the way that Turles's jaw dropped a little at that accusation; alright, maybe he wasn't completely bad if he shared her tolerance for such an unforgiveable act. "And if it makes you feel any better, Rei set a few on fire. There's your funeral pyre right there."

Turles growled at that, but respect for his father kept him from leaping at Mako and ripping her pretty little head off. "You said Rei was involved? She's a bitch and a half, from what I've heard. I'm surprised she helped you at all."

"Rei seems to have a problem with groups of men trying to gang rape a seemingly defenseless woman, just because she's an earthmover," Mako spat back, her hands charged and sparking in her anger. Hell, Rei seemed to have a problem with men in general.

"Calm down, Sparky," Bardock grumbled. "My son is going to calm down and shut up, or he's going to fuck off. Aren't you, boy?"

Turles snorted at that and rolled his eyes. "Only you or Raditz would rush to the defense of a fucking housekeeper, Father."

"She's my mate, brat."

His son's head whipped around so fast that it actually hurt a little. "You're fucking joking. This…girl!?" He asked incredulously, feeling a little disgusted. "How old are you?"

Mako blushed and looked away. "Thirty-two," she said softly.

Turles blinked at her answer and studied her with interest. "Bullshit. If you're a day over twenty-one, then I'm a girl." He shot a grin to his sire. "For a minute there, I thought you were robbing the cradle, Father."

"Altheans are just as long-lived as we are, brat," Bardock grumbled. "If you want to bitch about an age gap, go annoy Nappa. His mate is sixty years younger than him."

"Wait," Mako said suddenly, "just how old are you, Bardock?" It dawned on her for the first time that his sons were her own age, or only a little bit younger at the most.

"Forty-five," he mumbled. "My brats are thirty, twenty-eight, and twenty-seven."

"You were a father at fifteen?" Mako asked in disbelief. "Gods, you started _young_!"

"She's your mate, and she doesn't know any of this, Father?"

"Mako will be my mate soon," Bardock corrected. "And what are you doing out of the tank so early? It's only been what? A day?"

"Nappa's mate pulled me out and offered to heal me up with something she'd concocted if I swore to leave the princess alone. I agreed."

Bardock chuckled at that and shook his head. "You would have done well to leave her alone when she buried you the first three or four times. Let it never be said that the brats of Bardock lack for guts… just common sense," he added with a snicker. He smirked when he heard Mako huff and sputter behind him, before mentioning the cheesecake. "I know, I know. You're right, woman."

"Fuck you, Bardock, I'm always right. And the king's not going to be very happy if we're here all day bullshitting instead of getting these ingredients."

"Wait, you screamed at the king in the throne room only yesterday, actually lived to tell the tale, and now you're shopping for him?" Turles just shook his head, he was feeling awfully confused.

"He tasted Mako's cooking," Bardock replied with pride, shooting a pleased smile at his mate, who was blushing again. "That woman could have cooked for Frieza and it would have convinced him to fuck off."

Embarrassed by the praise, Mako quickly moved ahead of them towards the first shop, where she knew they sold milk products, and was surprised to find the shopkeeper frowning at her. "Cream cheese?" Mako asked. Maybe the woman was just having a bad day.

"Don't sell it," she said flatly, looking away from the earthmover.

A little hurt by the woman's attitude, Mako simply nodded and backed away. "Alright, then. Sorry to have bothered you." She gave a little curtsy before turning to another shop. This one claimed that he didn't have any eggs, even though Mako knew damned well that he did. Tears pricked her eyes this time as she turned away empty-handed.

"It's because I'm an earthmover, isn't it?" She asked Bardock, looking up at him with pure misery in her eyes.

The Saiyan sputtered in righteous anger to Turles, who stiffened and glared at all of the shopkeepers. "Fuck em all, Mako," Turles said flatly. "We'll go to the market on my side of town. Come on."

Bardock scooped her up at that and followed his son to the side of town that Mako had brawled in a short while ago. "You sure this is a good idea, brat?"

"No one's going to fuck with her as long as I'm around," his son assured them as they landed in the middle of the market. Many of the vendors immediately recognized them and scowled, but Mako bravely approached the first one and bought eggs. They were a hair pricier than the ones she could have gotten on Bardock's side of town, but she was grateful to at least not be refused service.

Well, she wasn't refused service at first, anyway. When she made her way to buy the cream cheese from a middle-aged woman, she was turned away, quite vulgarly, and her fists shook with the strain of not burying this woman where she stood.

Bardock and Turles rushed over when they felt a very slight tremor under their feet, and the former of the two pulled her into his arms to calm her down while Turles vehemently cursed the woman in Saiyan. The two were soon arguing loudly, and Bardock sighed while Mako continued to try and get herself under control. One wrong slip and she'd bury the lot of them.

"That's _enough_, **damn it**!"

Everyone shut up and turned their heads to see a short Saiyan woman with long black hair staring them all down furiously. She was wearing armor like Bardock's, only blood-red in color, but the fact that she carried a shopping basket clearly said she was picking up her supper for the evening.

Mako looked around Bardock, and was suddenly smiling. "Rei!" She slipped out of his arms to rush over and hug her savior from the brawl, and gave her an affectionate slap on the back. "Bardock said you'd slipped out once Usagi showed up, I'd hoped to thank you in person!"

Rei shrugged with a touch of embarrassment at such praise and gratitude, feeling her cheeks burn at the hug Mako gave her. "You're Althean. Anything for the people of my mother's blood," she said flatly. "Now, what's all the bitching and fighting over?"

The firestarter stalked over to the shop that had refused Mako service, and slapped her hand down on the counter, leaving a black handprint in the wood. "Refuse Mako service again, just because she's Althean, and I'll burn your fucking place to the ground. Understand me?"

The woman shook her head. "No, Rei. Not because she's Althean! You of all people know better than that, I've served you and your mother for years. It's because she's a fucking earthmover."

Mako trembled, just as the earth did, and let her rage fly with words this time. "If I wanted to bury this stupid fucking city, I would have already done it!" She screamed at the woman. "And maybe it would occur to you to be nice to me, or I just might do it out of spite!"

"She means you people no harm," Rei added. "Earthmovers are taught at a very young age not to use their gifts to harm unless they have no other choice. But my threat still stands, woman," she finished. "Sell to her, and at a _fair _price, or I burn this shop to the ground."

Mako handed over the money when the woman sputtered out a price, and stowed the cream cheese in her bag. "Thank you," she said quietly to Rei. Mako turned to the men; Bardock had been watching all of that with naked amusement, but Turles was simply staring. "Turles? You ok?" She asked in concern.

Then Rei turned to look, and found herself staring as well, right into his eyes. He had been looking at her the entire time. She swallowed hard at the quiver in her stomach. "Hi," she gasped, a little weakly.

"Hi," Turles replied, just as softly.

Bardock grinned at this exchange and shook his head. "I believe introductions are in order?"

Turles just nodded a little, unable to tear his gaze from those gorgeous violet eyes. "Sure, Father," he replied almost happily.

"Turles, meet Rei. She's the half-Althean firestarter that's been setting men on fire in the ring. Rei, this is my middle son, Turles. The one that's been pissing Usagi off so much."

"Not anymore," Turles replied flatly.

Rei blinked, and finally managed to break his gaze, shaking her head as if to clear it. "Come on, Mako," she said shakily. She led the thundershaker to a place that sold sugar, and thankfully didn't have to make any threats.

Bardock yanked his son back to him roughly when Turles moved towards them. "I know she felt it too, boy. Give her a little bit to adjust. If I can do it at my age, you can rein it in, brat." He grabbed the back of Turles' armor and once again yanked him back like a dog on a leash when, as if in a trance, he stepped towards Rei and Mako for a second time. "Look somewhere else, boy, close your eyes and think of something that doesn't have anything to do with her," he advised his son.

Turles did as he was told, actually listening to his father for once. He'd always been the troublesome, defiant child, but right then he was grateful to have his father around for advice on this sort of thing. One wrong move, and his pecker would be set on fire.

Rei and Mako chatted, but the raven-haired warrior kept looking over her shoulder, totally distracted by Bardock's look-alike. "Did you…?"

"Yes, I felt it with Bardock, too. But I don't have those crazy-ass Saiyan hormones to contend with, either, so I can only imagine how hard it's going to be for you," Mako snickered, as she paid for eggs and baking soda. "And somehow he doesn't strike me as patient as his father, so watch your ass."

"He doesn't play fair, either," Rei snorted. "The way he's been challenging the princess…" She shook her head, and flames shot from her fingers at a strong surge of jealousy. "Fucking asshole."

Mako laughed, and gave Rei a one-armed hug. "Don't worry about it honey, the way he keeps looking at you, Usagi is the _last_ thing on his tiny little male brain. Just set your boundaries. I've been reading this book about Saiyan men, and… well, I guess I don't have to tell you. You are Saiyan."

Rei snorted at that and rolled her eyes. "I know what to do, but Turles's reputation precedes him. He's more of a womanizer than Raditz was in his younger years, and he doesn't lightly take no for an answer."

Mako was about to open her mouth to reassure her new friend, but her eye caught a shock of blue hair, and she turned and beamed. "Ami!" She cried, running over to hug the doctor tightly and swing her around in her arms. "You followed the quake, huh?" She asked knowingly.

Ami laughed and nodded, then looked back to the warrior escorting her, her eyes full of emotion. "Nappa, this is Mako. Mako, this is Nappa… my mate."

"Your…?" Mako just stared at the man wide-eyed, before looking back at Ami. I know the king said you were mated, but… he's **huge**, Ami!" She sized up the warrior, crossing her arms over her chest. "How in the hell do you avoid breaking her in half?"

Nappa grinned at that, and tugged his mate back against his chest, bending to kiss the top of her head. "She spends a lot of time on top."

Mako burst out laughing, while Ami blushed and punched him in the arm. Rei joined in as well; she'd wandered over and had caught the question and the punch line just in time. "So what brings you, Ami? Did the king send you to tell me to cut it out?"

"Actually," Nappa answered roughly, "quite the opposite. He sent us to make sure that no one was giving you any trouble."

Mako and Rei both stared at him in disbelief at that. "Wow, he must really have a sweet tooth to send you to my defense," she said in wonder. "Tell him that I got everything I need, and here's the change." She pulled a wad of credits out of her apron and tried to hand them over, but Nappa waved them away.

"He said you'd try and do that. His Majesty instructed me to tell you to spend it on yourself, as a thank you for the cheesecake, and for the pie. He said it was the best damned cherry pie he'd ever eaten."

Mako blushed at the praise, and stuffed the money back in her pocket. "I'll make sure to prepare a cherry topping for him as well, then. Ami, did you just tag along? I don't think I've ever seen you out of The Hole for more than ten minutes, let alone in town."

"Actually, Mako, I came to ask you about a few different flowers from Althea, and see if you had any samples of them. One is a moonflower, and the other is an angel's kiss. I've been working on something, but I can't make any more of the substance without those two components."

"Yeah, I might have some in my seed packets. Hang on, let me check." Mako opened her bag and dug around in it, finally shoving her whole arm in to pull out several dozen packets that were tied together. She looked through them and nodded. "Yeah, I've got some, but only enough to plant my garden. And these particular flowers call for temperate climate and lots of water. What are you making?"

"A salve. I've already exhausted my supply of healing items from Althea, but I combined those two flowers with the liquid from the med tanks, and made an ointment out of it that heals wounds almost instantly. If I could get some more of those flowers…" Ami shrugged, since the answer was obvious.

"Well, they wouldn't do well in my garden, but I'm sure I could just get a few pots and grow them inside." Mako tucked the seeds back in her bag and looked around for someone that sold gardening supplies. She needed to pick up a few of those, anyway.

The earthmover haggled expertly with the owner, who was the only person she'd done business with that day that treated her with even an ounce of respect. Probably because he worked with the earth, too, she mused. She bought some hand tools and a few pots that she could use indoors. "How strong is your power, girl?" The shopkeeper finally asked, albeit a little nervously.

Mako shrugged. "I was the strongest among my people, along with my brother, Hiro. Why?"

"Can you help things grow?"

Mako followed his gaze to his vegetable garden, which was a little pitiful, though the man was clearly making an effort. She set down her bag and took off her shoes to walk in the dirt, and immediately knew what the problem was the moment her toes sunk into it. "You don't have enough dirt in this plot, sir. It needs to be a foot deeper, and frankly, the dirt is of poor quality." She wiggled her toes in the soil and ached to make this little garden as it should be. "If I may?"

"By all means, Mako," the man said, gesturing towards the garden. "Any help would be appreciated."

Everyone's eyes were on the brunette as she began to walk a pattern in the garden, while the earth just barely moved under their feet. She was done in no time, since the garden was small, and she waved Ami over. "Would you mind watering it for me?"

Ami nodded and pulled moisture out of the atmosphere to rain down on the garden while Mako used her gift to make the plants healthier. "There we go," she finally said, happy to see her gift put to good use.

"They look even bigger than they were," the man marveled out loud. "Thank you ladies so much. You Altheans are alright in my book."

Ami and Mako shrugged, as if it was nothing, and Mako giggled when she noticed how soaked and dirty her clothes were. She used a little power to get the dirt off her dress and back onto the ground, and decided she could live with a little water on her. It was always hot enough during the day that her clothes would dry quickly.

Rei was making a point of avoiding eye contact with Turles when they returned to find everyone grouped together and chatting. Except for Rei and Turles.

Finally, he spoke. "You want to go spar or something?" He offered.

"Feh. You fight like a girl," she huffed.

His tail bristled as he clenched his fists in an effort not to lash out at her. "Care to test that assumption, girl?"

Rei smirked and gave him a curt nod. "Bring it, pretty boy." Fireballs leapt into the palms of her hands, and she slid effortlessly into a fighting stance.

"In the air, you two," Nappa growled with impatience. "Damned brats should know better than to brawl in a marketplace."

Rei and Turles immediately lifted into the air above the city, and once they were at an acceptable altitude, they locked eyes. Both of their hearts skipped a beat as they simply stared at each other, feeling the same elemental tug.

"I know you feel it too, woman. This will be a lot simpler if we just head back to my house and you surrender yourself." He licked his lips at the prospect; he wanted her, and badly.

"Take me if you can, bitch."

**CLIFFIE! BWAHAHAHAHA! Couldn't resist, sorry, yall! At least you got a REALLY long friggin chapter out of it! Next chapter will take a little bit, since I have yet to write most of it, but I'll try and get it out before next Monday! It might be a little short, sicne we're closing on Usa's departure, but I'll get it done! LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! And PLEASE review! They make me feel warm and fluffy, like I'm eating waffles. Or Mako's cheesecake.**

**Responses!**

**Ana: Raditz is the fucking man. Simply put. You know it as well as I do. ;) Usagi and Rei will meet up in the next chapter.**

**Selene088: Bardock was in mourning, and is just coming out of it, which is the ONLY reason he can exhibit such a level of restraint, especially at his age. Thank God for that, or he'd wind up fried in his sleep. I'm actually really pleased that you picked up on the fact that he was doing really well! And Usagi and Vegeta will come up soon, I promise. Well, sooner or later, anyways.**

**Chibi: Thank you, and there it was! **

**ROF: So glad to see you lurking around, my love! And thank you, I'm trying very hard to keep all the girls in character, and I'm finding it VERY hard sometimes, argh! The next update will be a little slower in coming, since I already had the bulk of mostly everything written down up until this point when I was in my zone. I also have the bulk of Usa and Vegeta written, too, just not the in-between stuff from here on out. **

**Tyne: Thank you, sugar! I'm so glad that I've hooked yet another loyal reader, yay! And like I've told everyone else, Usagi and Vegeta will happen… eventually, I promise! I wish you'd sign your reviews so I could PM you, and you could ask me question if you have them!**

**Devafiend: Same to you, honey! Sign your reviews, I'd love to contact you via PM! And thank you so much, you're such a sweetheart! *HUGGLES* Flattery will get you… well, everywhere. If you're looking for another read, too, hit up the Golden Stranger, my UxT fic.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay! New chapter! Sorry, I got "squirreled" and totally distracted by a sequel to TGS. So, fans of Stranger, get on over there! **

**I think I answered all the reviews via PM, except for Krissy. **

**So Krissy, my love, here ya go. Short!? That last chapter was nearly 10k words, girl, damn! Short is like, 3-4k. Most of my chapters are in the 5-10k range, depending on where I decide to cut it off. This one is 7k, just so you know. And I'm not saying shit about Raditz, his tale will come much later. Usa and Vegeta action in this chapter, though, but not the kind anyone will be happy with… sorry about that, lol. And I'm so happy you liked Tips! I had so much fun writing that story, and Vegeta's badassness!**

Turles didn't need a second invitation, he was on her like white on rice on Hoth, swinging and kicking like his life depended on it. Because it probably did. He sensed Nappa floating nearby, ready to jump in and break the fight up if things got too serious, or if a referee was needed. A Saiyan male trying to claim a mate by right of combat was not a light thing, and Turles was fighting much harder than he had against Usagi.

That had been playtime. This… this was dead serious, and he wasn't the only one that felt the gravity of the fight as he began to rain blows upon his opponent. He landed nearly every single one, due to his superior strength, but the moment she broke out the fireballs he had to back off.

He was Saiyan, but he wasn't fireproof.

Turles cradled his singed tail in his hand as he conceded the battle… for now. "You burned my tail," he grumbled, as soon as he'd given the ki signal for a time-out and she'd hesitantly backed off.

"Oh, poor baby," Rei snorted. "You nearly broke my jaw, but do you hear me bitching about it?"

"No, but I was a gentleman. I could have grabbed your tail at _any_ time." His eyes narrowed and he couldn't take his eyes off of that black appendage as it unwound from her waist and waved in the air, taunting him.

"You'll never touch my tail, boy, so just keep on dreaming," the firestarter scoffed, looking back down toward the market. "Now, is this fight over, or do you want me to set your hair on fire, too?"

"For now," Turles grumbled, affectionately petting his tail. "Tomorrow, ringside. You and me."

"Looking forward to it, sissy girl." Rei's tail wrapped around her waist once more, and she sunk back down to where everyone was waiting for her.

Nappa floated over and grinned. "Not as easy as you thought, brat? I advise going for the tail next time, though I guarantee you she'll be guarding it more than she did today."

Rei landed on the ground next to Mako, and scowled up at the sight of Turles and Nappa talking. The bastard was probably giving Turles pointers on what to do better next time he tried to claim her. "Asshole. Now I'm going to have to watch my back whenever I so much as step outside."

"Actually…"

Rei turned to look at Nappa's mate. "What, waterwalker?"

"Well, you see… the princess has seemed to have taken a habit of making handmaidens out of women that aren't ready to be claimed yet. And since Mina and Broly…" Ami gave a little shrug. "And I didn't last two hours as her handmaiden before Nappa cornered me in my lab."

"That doesn't say much for her ability to protect her handmaidens," Rei snorted.

"I wanted it," Ami admitted, her face turning scarlet. "If I hadn't, I had several things lying around in the lab that I could have knocked him out with, or I could have easily frozen him. He doesn't need to know that, though," she added sheepishly. "I may be tiny, but I'm hardly helpless. Anyway," she continued, "if you truly don't want Turles to claim you yet, I'm positive that Usa would give you a place in her household. Especially since she hates Turles with a vengeance. He won't be able to touch you without getting a pounding."

Rei's lips tugged up in a smirk, and she nodded a little. "Please tell me that I don't have to wear a dress."

Ami laughed and shook her head. "Actually, the only requirement that Usa makes of her handmaidens is to share her bed at night. She has a lot of trouble sleeping without someone else there. I'll warn you, though, she's a cuddler, and she talks in her sleep a lot."

In exchange for complete protection from being mated, Rei could totally live with that. "But, wait? Doesn't she have a night guard?"

"Yeah…" Ami shook her head and tried not to laugh at that. Poor Raditz. "Usa doesn't know, so _don't _tell her, but Raditz wants her. Very badly. And to his credit," she added, when Rei scoffed, "he's been a complete gentleman. He hasn't once challenged her or said a word about it."

"Probably doesn't want to get his ass kicked," Mako muttered.

"No, it's not that," Ami sighed. "He hasn't felt the pull with her, and they've been friends since they were children. Saiyans don't always feel the pull when they decide to take a mate, but most of them prefer to wait until they find that one person. Nappa waited," she added happily.

"Unlike Turles," Rei growled nastily, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. "He should have taken a lesson from his older brother."

"Well, Bardock didn't wait, and I'm not holding it against him," Mako snorted. "If he had waited, Rei, Turles wouldn't have even existed. Huh… this would make you my daughter-in-law, wouldn't it?" She thought aloud in wonder. "That's a little weird."

"Mako, you felt the pull?" Ami asked, her eyes wide.

The thundershaker nodded a little, her face red. "The king also ordered us to pair-bond, so…" She shrugged a little bit. "We're trying to get to know each other a little bit first. Usagi managed to haggle with the king and get us a week. I don't think it'll take that long, though."

"You love him?" Rei asked curiously.

"Wait, I didn't think Saiyans said that word," Ami said quickly.

"My father died in battle before I was born. I was raised by my mother and grandfather, and they're Althean," she answered. "I don't have a problem with that word, but you won't hear me say it often."

Mako shrugged a little before answering Rei's question. "I don't know, in all honesty. I like him a lot, but with him being Saiyan… it's a little complicated," she admitted. "No offense to you, Rei, but I really don't like Saiyans. But sometimes I find myself forgetting that Bardock's a Saiyan, and when that happens…" She shrugged helplessly again.

"Father wasn't on Althea."

"I know that, Raditz," Mako replied defensively. "If he had been, I wouldn't have even worked for him."

"Just so that's clear, woman. Don't blame my father for something he wasn't even there for. "

###############

Mako's jaw dropped a little when Bardock set her on her feet in front of the house. "Holy shit…"

"Yeah, I seem to have that reaction with the ladies lately," Raditz said smugly, studying his nails as he leaned back against the house.

Bardock and Turles chuckled at that while Mako shoved Raditz to the side to kneel in front of the dozens of flats, all of them containing different seedlings. Bardock stiffened in alarm when he heard her suddenly give a choked sob as she reached out to stroke a larger plant that was all by itself in a big pot. "Mako? Are you ok?"

The earthmover wiped at the tears that had spilled over onto her cheeks, but more just followed in their wake. "I'm ok," she managed hoarsely. She leaned back into his chest when she felt his arms around her, and took one of his hands in hers to lay it on the plant in the pot. "You know what this is?"

"No, I'm sorry, I don't know plants very well. But I'm sure I'll learn," he added.

"It's a rose," she said softly. "That was… that was very kind of the king. I don't think he knows how kind it was."

Yeah, he did. Bardock had specifically asked the king, while they'd been waiting on lunch, to find her a rose bush and have it sent with the rest. But she didn't need to know that. Bardock kissed her neck chastely and picked up a flat of vegetables. "I'll get these in the garden, Mako."

She gave him a slow, genuine smile, her eyes shining with tears. "Thank you, Bardock."

Bardock felt something inside of him melt from the sight of her looking at him like that. For a moment, he could even pretend that they were already mated, and she was extremely happy just being with him. Maybe even in love with him.

And then the moment was broken, as his brats started trading verbal and physical jabs from just behind him. "Don't make me get the strap, boys! Gods…" he sighed.

Mako chuckled, but turned her own ire on them when she caught part of the conversation. Raditz was grossing Turles out by informing him of the obvious: that Bardock was going to be mated with her very soon. "Will you boys pipe the fuck down!" She snapped.

"See, she even sounds like she's our step-mommy already. You know what that means?" Raditz snickered evilly.

"What?" Turles groaned.

"It means that she's fucking our father," he whispered, his hand cupped around his mouth, pretending that Mako couldn't hear him.

"Gods, Raditz, SHUT UP! You're such a fucking asshole!" Turles whined, trying not to gag. The idea of his father having sex with _any_ woman… ugh.

"Is Hurley Turley gonna puke?" He teased.

Turles just glared at his older brother and snarled. "It was one fucking time when I was six. And don't forget that I can put you in the dirt, Radu."

"Not if you're puking your guts out, Turley."

"There will be no puking in this yard, do you two understand me!?" Mako snapped, finally losing her cool. "And if Turles pukes, Raditz, you're cleaning it the fuck up, _not_ me. Now play nice, or you're both helping me in the garden!"

"They're helping you anyway," Bardock grunted, trying not to seem amused. He knew all too well how badly those two bickered when they got together for more than five damned minutes. "Get some flats, boys, and take them out back. Now."

With some grumbling, they both did as they were told, and once they were out back, Bardock tugged Mako to him and kissed her passionately. He purred when she leaned into it fully, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"See, Turley! They're making out in the front yard!" Raditz said gleefully.

"SHUT UP!" Mako, Bardock, and Turles all yelled at once.

"Don't you have a princess to guard or something?" Bardock sputtered, thoroughly annoyed at being interrupted with his future mate.

"I'm off for the afternoon."

"Not anymore, you're not," his father snapped. "Get back to the palace and make yourself useful, _or_," he continued, when Raditz opened his mouth to protest, "I'll call Usa and tell her you're being an annoying little shit like you used to be."

Mako tried not to laugh when Raditz made a petulant face before blasting off into the air, grumbling something about Hurley Turley. "Gods, he picks on you worse than my brothers—" Mako frowned at that, and bit down on her suddenly trembling lip before grabbing the potted rose and heading inside.

Turles squeezed his father's shoulder when the older man sighed and shook his head helplessly. "It's still only been a couple of months for her. It'll take time, Father."

"Yeah, I know. She lost her entire family, so anytime she even thinks about them…" Bardock shook his head in defeat. "I just want to make her happy. She deserves to be happy."

Damn, his father had it _bad_, and he hadn't even claimed the Althean yet. "You shouldn't have sent Raditz off," he snorted, "because if you're looking to me for tips with women, you're barking up the wrong tree, old man."

"Don't I know it, brat. You inherited it from me, after all. My grandbrats will likely be just as awkward with women as we are, one day. It's a miracle that any of us have ever gotten laid. Except for Raditz. That boy was some sort of a throwback."

"That's why he's such a sissy girl in the ring," Turles added with a smirk. "He had to trade one power for another."

Bardock shook his head and picked up half of the remaining flats, and set them down behind Mako, who was kneeling beside her garden and trying not to cry any harder than she already was. Signaling to Turles to piss off after he'd brought in the remaining flats, he sat down next to her and pulled her into his lap to hold her tightly. "I'm sorry, Mako."

"Not your fault," she choked, letting him wipe away her tears. That was the first time she'd admitted it, and had not resented him personally for the loss of her people. "You weren't on Althea."

"No… but I was on Kanassa. And I'm not proud of what I did there, Mako." Bardock sighed and tucked her against him tightly, breathing in her scent.

"Would you do it again?" She asked softly.

"No, never," he answered flatly. "I'm not the same man I was then."

Mako turned her head at that, and kissed him. It was hesitant at first, but it quickly grew bolder as he returned it. She sighed at the loss of contact when she forced herself to pull away. "I don't blame you," she said firmly. "Just so you know. And I'm not ready yet," she added, when there was just a tad too much hope in his eyes. "But soon, ok?"

Bardock nodded and nipped at her lower lip before following up with another short kiss. "Let's get these plants in the ground and watered," he suggested.

##############

Usagi answered the door to her chambers when there was a sharp, demanding knock on it, and was surprised not to see the king standing outside the door. She stared into a set of violet eyes that were only a couple inches higher than her own, and after stepping back and getting a good look at the woman before her, she smirked. "Rei, I presume?" She waved her in before shutting the door.

"How'd you guess?"

"You're the only half-breed Saiyan woman I know of that would have enough balls to pound on a door in the royal wing like she owned the place. What brings you here?" Usagi ushered her into the sitting room, where the princess had been working on some inking designs in private.

"Actually, it was Ami who sent me, to become your new handmaiden. She explained that you don't mind offering a bit of a shield to women who don't want to be mated yet."

"And who's after you?" Usagi asked in concern. "Not anybody too strong, I hope, since my arm's still broke."

"Turles," Rei muttered, unable to meet the princess's gaze.

Usagi just gaped at her in a mix of shock and frank amusement. "Well…. _**Shit**_!" She said loudly. "You're staying inside until I'm healed," she growled. "If you go out before I am… maybe I can get Broly to defend you…" She swore creatively in Saiyan for several minutes before finally spitting out, "damn it all to _hell_, Rei! What did you _**do**_ to attract his attention!? I just got _rid_ of that buttfucking son of a bitch, and now he's going to be banging down my door _**again**_!?"

"I'm so pleased to hear how much you enjoy my company, princess," a low voice said smoothly from her window.

Usagi and Rei both whipped around, each of them holding ki balls in their hands. "You've got a lot of balls to barge into my private chambers," Usagi snapped, "and you'd better get out before I relieve you of them."

Rei smirked at that statement; she was already starting to like the petite blonde.

"I'll leave in a minute, Highness. I just thought I'd inform you that Rei is mine, and you're going to have your hands awfully full if you take her as a handmaiden."

"No, I won't," Usagi said flatly. She backed away a little to pick up her scouter, and pressed the panic button on the inside. It would summon her guards, and since she'd never used it before, it was sure to bring them _all _running at once. "And Rei, you're my handmaiden," Usagi added quickly. "Welcome to the household. There, Turles, what are you going to do about it?"

Raditz's brother popped his neck and shrugged. "Guess I'll just have to take her, then. If you thought I was bad before, you'll be pretty amazed at how tenacious I can be when I've felt the pull."

Usagi's eyes narrowed and she shoved Rei behind her, despite her own broken arm, when Turles floated into her chambers. But the moment he crossed the threshold, a blur came out of nowhere and tackled the warrior right out the window in a hail of punches. Homing in on the ki, Usagi grinned. "Broly," she explained, turning to Rei. "Love that panic button."

"You alright, Usa?" Nappa asked from the doorway.

"Yup, I'm great. Thanks for coming so quickly, I didn't think that prick would actually have the gall to step foot in here."

"Highness, I'm sorry," Rei sputtered, fluffing her hair in agitation. "I think I'm going to be more trouble than I'm worth."

"No, you're fine, Rei. We'll just give Broly and Mina a room close by until you decide to go to him. I won't let him take you before you're ready."

"He felt the pull?" Nappa grunted. If Turles had actually felt the pull for this raven-haired beauty, may the gods have mercy on her soul.

Rei nodded weakly and flopped down on Usagi's bed. "Thank the gods he's an insufferable prick, because I don't want to be mated anyways. I'm perfectly content with being an old, unmated firebug, thank you."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Usa snickered. She jumped towards the window and hugged Broly when he landed. "Thanks, Broly!"

"Feh, no problem. I broke his legs and took him to the infirmary. That should give you a break."

"I hope he knows that the next time he tries to barge into my private quarters, I'll saw his nuts off with my teeth," Usagi snorted.

Rei chuckled at that. "I'm really starting to like you, princess."

"You won't when I'm healed," she answered brightly, "because you'll be my new sparring partner, when Turles isn't challenging you every other second." Usagi checked the clock, and took a pain pill before turning to Nappa and Broly. "I'm going to take a nap for a little while, if you two don't mind. If either of you wouldn't mind giving her the tour…?"

"I've got it," Nappa offered. "Ami's down in The Hole right now, working on something important, and I don't want to…" he grinned. "…Distract her."

"An awfully _big _distraction," the princess said primly.

"Yes, huge," her teacher agreed.

"Nappa will keep you safe for a few hours, ok Rei? I didn't get much sleep last night, and when that happens and my arm's hurting, I like to take a nap. You should go home and pick up any of your things as well, since you'll be living here from now on." At that, Usagi drew back her covers and snuggled in, and was grateful when the firestarter cut off the lights.

She didn't really need the nap, but she wanted to see Vegeta, since she'd neglected to take a pain pill the night before.

################

Apparently she'd interrupted a really good dream, because Vegeta seemed slightly annoyed to see her. "What!? Was Gee-Gee having a wet dream?" She teased.

"_Yes!_" He yelled, sitting down with a huff. He didn't bother to mention that it had been about her, and it was doubly frustrating for the real Usagi to appear when the Usagi in his dream had been moaning his name in ecstasy.

"Oh. Well… damn, Geta. Sorry. I'll try and wake up if you'd like," she offered, "I just… you know. Missed you."

"Feh. It's alright," he grunted, feeling a twinge of guilt for the slightly hurt look in her eyes. "So, you remember the last time you saw me?" He wondered, once she'd come to sit next to him.

"Little flashes, but that's it," she admitted. "Since you have more experience with these than I do, I suspect it'll be awhile before I can remember like you do."

"It'll come with time. I remember little flashes from years ago, and even now the memory fades a lot after a couple of days. I remember the important parts, and I know what happened, but I can't see what happened so much. It's hard to explain. It just fades."

"Eh, it's ok. I just like being with you. _That_ I remember when I wake up. I know that I saw you, and I know that I'm happy." Usagi sighed happily when he wrapped an arm around her and let her rest her head on his shoulder. "I got a new handmaiden."

Vegeta chuckled at that. "Hopefully she'll last longer than the last two?"

Usagi laughed and nodded. "Oh, she will, I guarantee it. She's a firestarter named Rei, and she's half Saiyan, like me. And the warrior that's after her… is Turles."

Then it was like they were kids again, laughing uncontrollably at poor Rei's misfortune as she told him about her, holding each other as their laughs ebbed into chuckles. When they separated, Vegeta quietly swore as he did the one thing he'd been avoiding every time he'd seen her since the first dream.

He made eye contact.

Usagi felt the pull in her stomach immediately, and her eyes grew impossibly wide. She backpedaled quickly to put some space between them, and trembled in a mixture of fear and disbelief. "But—but—but—"

"Not your fucking brother," Vegeta said flatly, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "You're my mate. This happened the first time, you just don't remember it." He sighed heavily when she just stared at him like a deer in the headlights. "Usa, you should know damned well that I'd never force you."

She relaxed a little at that. "But you're my brother!" She cried, despite his insistence to the contrary. Usagi jumped when he stood, and found herself yanked back when she rose and tried to escape.

"I'm _not_ your brother," Vegeta said firmly, turning her to face him. He kissed her then, gently, but it was a far cry from the kinds of kisses she'd been giving him. His mouth moved over hers almost greedily, but he drew back when she remained stiff in his arms. He sighed at that, and let her go. "Damn it, woman, I'm _not_ your brother," he repeated.

"I'm not your mate," Usagi said weakly.

"Yet. I'll claim you when you get here. I'll give you some time, of course, to get used to the idea, since I'm sure you won't remember this dream. But you will be mine, Usa." He groaned in frustration when she began to cry, and he pulled her into his arms in an attempt to soothe her, burying his face in her hair. "Usa, it's alright, shh."

"No, it's not alright, Vegeta! You're not my mate!" She yelled, shoving him away. "You can say you're not my brother as much as you fucking want to, but to me, you _are_! I love you, damn it, but as family, and nothing more!" Usagi closed her eyes and concentrated on waking up, but she found herself unable to. "Damn it."

Trying once more to make her see the light, Vegeta carefully approached her and tipped her chin up with his fingertips. "Usagi, it is what it is. At least I'm still young enough to fight the pull when you find me, despite feeling it since I was a brat."

Her eyes widened at that, and she had a flash of memory, of him explaining this to her before, then kissing her… and she'd _enjoyed_ it, even encouraged it. And it would have gone much further if she hadn't woken up. "Oh, gods… I remember…"

"Good," he said hoarsely, just before he claimed her lips with his own once more. Usagi resisted at first, just as Vegeta had expected, but after several moments she was hesitantly returning the kiss while his hands slowly explored her.

But then she jerked away unexpectedly. "Don't do that again," she said shakily. "I mean it!" She ordered, when he tried to pull her back to him. But she was in his arms anyway after a brief struggle, and he was kissing her again, and damn it—she was enjoying it again, fighting the urge to press him for more.

Vegeta growled in approval when she let loose a soft moan, and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. Usagi separated from him again, breathing heavily from her mixture of arousal and anger. "That's the last time you do that, Geta."

"The hell it is. You've got a lot more of that coming when you—"

"I'm _not_ coming," she spat. "I told you not to do that again, and I'm not going to Earth if you're going to try and claim me when I get there." Usagi mentally willed herself to wake up for a second time and gratefully felt herself beginning to fade from his mind.

"Wait, Usagi, _**no**_!" Vegeta cried, trying in vain to stop her. But she was gone.

############

Usagi woke up crying in harsh, uncontrollable sobs, despite the fact that the only thing she could recall was being mad at Vegeta for something, and telling him she wasn't coming.

"Highness!? Highness!" Two arms were around her in moments, and not knowing or caring who was trying to comfort her, Usagi leaned into the embrace and bawled like a brat. "Dear gods, what happened, Usagi?"

She just shook her head and cried, unable to speak, but when the female holding her began to sing softly, her crying lost that violent, uncontrollable edge.

Not sure what else to do, Rei simply stroked the blonde hair that was pooled around her and continued to sing, rocking the princess slowly in her arms. And once the sobs had eased back into sniffles and hiccups, she ended the lullaby and spoke. "What happened, princess?"

"I—Geta… I don't remember," she finally admitted. "I just know that…" Usagi shook her head sadly.

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean Vegeta? The crown prince?" Rei pulled back and looked at her in disbelief. "Was it a nightmare?"

"I wish. Geta and I… we're imprinted. Only Father and Mother knew. And Geta. I just found out a few days ago, when we found each other in my sleep. Raditz knows, too."

"So… you fought?" Rei asked seriously.

Usagi nodded. "I… I think so." She swallowed, trying her hardest not to cry again. "I never remember much."

"And this time?"

"I…I told him that I'm not coming. I remember yelling at him, I was furious. I'm still furious with him, but I don't remember _why_." She choked on that last word, and was crying all over again.

"Shh… shh, sweetheart, it's all right. You didn't mean it; you'll still go, right?" Rei asked, once she'd calmed down again. The handmaiden waved Raditz and Nappa away when she caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of her eye. The last thing the princess needed right then was a bunch of males making things even worse.

"No, Rei, I meant it. I meant every word. I don't remember why, but I know that I _can't_ go. And I won't."

Raditz, who was still at the door, made a soft noise of disbelief. The only thing he could think of that would piss Usagi off that much… Shit. Vegeta must have lost control over his inner Saiyan and attempted to claim her. "Usa… you have to go. You don't understand, but you _have_ to."

Her ki rose in her fury, and she glowed a little from the silver light. "Why, Raditz!? You're a grown damned man, I'm sure you're perfectly capable of going to fetch the prince without me!"

Raditz shut his mouth and shook his head at that, but opened it again as he approached the bed. "Two reasons you have to go, Usa. One, I can't land on that planet by myself. After what I did last time, I'm positive that Kakarot's going to blow me away without hesitation. He was almost as strong as me back then, and something tells me that he's trained a lot since I died."

Usagi shook her head. "The second reason?"

"Because you—" Raditz swallowed and huffed. "Because you love him. And he loves you. What if he decides not to come with me? I'm not going to force him, you know. You'll never see him again."

Had Raditz just said the one word that Saiyan men never uttered? Rei and Usagi could only stare at him in surprise. "Yes, I said that damned word," he grumbled, his face coloring a little as he looked away in embarrassment.

"I'm not going."

###############

"Still working?"

Ami nodded, distracted by the blood samples she was examining. It seemed that thundershakers were extremely similar in genetics to Saiyans, she'd even had one of them demonstrate their powers while a Saiyan used his ki at the same time. The energy readings on a scouter were almost identical. "I'm starting to think that Saiyans and Altheans interbred a very long time ago, maybe thousands of years ago, in fact. And the lightning powers are a throwback to that. I've seen the way electricity crackles around Broly and Usagi when they power up to their maximum strength. It's very interesting."

Nappa noted the bags under her eyes and the way she was fighting not to yawn every few moments, and felt a wave of guilt. He should be taking better care of his mate. "Come on, Blue. You need to rest."

Ami shook her head and put some blood samples into her computer. "Here, look at this."

He humored her, and tried not to feel annoyed with the fact that he couldn't understand half of the data on her screen.

"You're not stupid," she sighed, catching a few of his thoughts. "You're just not the scientific type, Nappa. And that's fine. You're a very intelligent man, only you use that intelligence for battle."

With a smirk, Nappa pulled her away from the computer and nipped at her lower lip. "You have more than enough brains for the both of us, Blue. I'm content to be the brawn in this pairing."

Ami's hands went to his bare chest and began moving over the taught muscles all on their own, lingering over the numerous scars. "Well, you have more than enough brawn for the both of us," she chuckled.

"I'd be more than happy to share it with you for a while, beloved." Nappa smirked against her shoulder when she shivered at the feel of his lips against her mark.

"Nappa, I—mmm…" His mouth was running up her throat now, and it made it awfully hard for her to think. "Lot of work," she continued absently, sighing with pleasure when his hand crept up from her hip to cup her.

"The work will wait, Blue. Come on," he coaxed, tugging her back towards the bedroom. "Please," he whispered, when she gave the slightest bit of token resistance, "I need you, woman."

Ami glanced down and found herself chuckling. "I can see that. After I finish these samples, ok?"

Nappa knew all too well how that would turn out. She'd look at samples for a few minutes, and get distracted the moment she discovered something new. He slid a hand between her legs and kissed her when she gasped in surprise. "Seems like you need me too, beloved," he rumbled affectionately.

Ami nodded weakly when he began to undo her shorts so he could slip his fingers under the cloth. "Ok," she whispered, "the samples can wait. Bed," she insisted, when he pressed her against the workbench. "Can't contaminate the samples."

Nappa had fantasized about taking her in the lab, but it could wait. He threw her over his shoulder caveman style, and shut and locked the bedroom door behind them both before dumping her gently on the bed. "Now… where were we?"

Ami smiled sexily at him as she unfastened his fatigues. "I believe you were about to share some of that brawn with me."

##################

Mako dusted off her hands and finally used a little of her power as she slowly did her dance around the garden, completely oblivious to the way Bardock was watching her. "Now to water them," she finally sighed, moving to scoop up the first bucket that he had brought out for her use.

"I've got it, woman," Bardock said flatly. "You're tired, you shouldn't be lifting anything. Go check on the cheesecakes."

Looking at the sun's position, Mako nodded. "Yeah, they should be about finished, thanks for reminding me. I'll take them to the palace in the morning, once they're cooled off enough."

Bardock gurgled with pleasure when she laid a casual kiss on his lips, and found himself licking them once she was inside. Gods, he could really get used to that sort of familiarity. He quickly watered the garden, paying close attention not to overwater the rose bush, and then watered the flowers she'd put in pots. Those were for Ami, she'd explained, and she'd keep them inside during the heat of the day.

Mako checked the cheesecakes and sighed happily when she opened the oven door and the smell hit her nose. She double-checked them in the center with a fork, and when they came away clean, she immediately put them in the fridge to cool, right next to the cherry topping she'd prepared. The king's mouth was going to die and go to heaven when he tasted one of those.

Cutting off the oven, she decided that she needed a shower, and stripped down right there in the kitchen, tossing her filthy clothing into the washer before heading off to wash. She moaned in delight when the hot water hit her skin, and just stood there for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of the spray beating down on her scalp.

Then she felt eyes on her, and rolled her own when she found Bardock watching her calmly, his head poking around the shower curtain. "Enjoying the view?" She asked dryly. She could have been embarrassed, but she knew damned well that he'd seen—and touched—just about everything that there was to see.

"Immensely, woman." He drank her in with his eyes, and had a hard time controlling his arousal when she unwound the bun her hair was pulled back in, letting it cascade down her back in a waterfall of chestnut curls. "I don't suppose you'd let me join you?" He asked hopefully.

Mako half-grinned and shook her head. "Not a chance, warrior. You and I both know how that'll wind up."

"You won't hear me complaining about it. I don't think you'll be doing much, either."

"Not yet, Bardock," she said softly, stepping out of the spray just long enough to kiss him. "Now… get out of my bathroom before I have to give you heart failure."

"Too late," he chuckled, but he complied and left the bathroom before he did something she was going to get mad at him for. Maybe tonight. Or at least they could have a repeat of that morning; he thought he could be satisfied with that.

####################

Mina grinned when she caught a blur out of the corner of her eye, and sensed her mate closing in fast. "I know you're there," she teased.

"Damn, guess you'll just have to punish me for not being stealthy enough," Broly replied, wrapping his arms around her from behind, raking his teeth over her mark.

"Mmm, does somebody want something?" The lightbender chuckled, leaning back against his solid chest.

"Yeah, but first, a bath. Care to join me?"

Mina turned and frowned at the flecks of blood on his chest and fatigues. "What happened?"

"Turles got a little too bold, and tried to enter Usagi's chambers to claim her new handmaiden. I put him in the tank for a couple days. That should be enough time for the princess to heal up and put him in the dirt if he tries something like that again. Stupid prick."

"Yeah, not going to argue with you on that. Come on." Mina led him into their bathroom and quickly stripped the both of them before filling the tub and pulling him in with her.

Broly and Paragus were obviously well-to-do, judging from the house Mina had been staying in since they'd pair-bonded. Even the tub screamed luxury; it was big enough for her to swim in.

She made him sit down on a step, and straddled him as she began to wash the blood from him. "Uh-uh, not yet," she chided, when his hands went to her hips and she felt something hard pressing against her inner thigh.

Still coming down from the bloodlust from only a little while ago, Broly growled under his breath and pressed against her entrance, but she easily shifted her hips to keep him from taking her. "Now, woman."

"When you're clean," Mina said patiently, leaning forward to kiss him. "Are you telling me that the big Saiyan warrior can't wait just a few minutes?" She teased.

"No, I can't." Broly took a nipple in his mouth and made a noise of approval when her head went back and she moaned his name. "I don't think you can wait, either," he remarked, as he smelled her arousal and switched to the other breast.

They both sighed with pleasure when she shifted her hips back over and slid down. "Mmm, you win, love," Mina whispered, groaning at the sensation of being filled and stretched. She wondered if she was ever going to get used to the finer parts of Saiyan anatomy; it seemed that they were all pretty gifted in that department.

"So long as my anatomy's the only one you're getting used to," he growled, moving his mouth up to bite down on her mark.

"I'm yours, monkey man," Mina gasped. "All yours."

##############

"Mother?"

Toma turned and felt a pang in her heart at the sight of her daughter's red-rimmed eyes. "What happened, child?"

"It's not important. I came to ask you a question," Usagi replied. "I know you said that you never wanted me to bring it up, but I have to know."

"Why now, girl?" Toma sighed sadly. "You know I don't want to talk about it. Ever."

"My new handmaiden is Althean, as you know. And she was singing a song…" Usagi hummed a few bars of it, and watched her mother's face turn to stone, the usual Saiyan reaction to something that made them feel extreme emotion.

"I can't believe you'd actually remember that song; you were only an infant the last time you heard it." The queen gestured to a couch. "Sit, Usagi. I'm going to tell you this _one_ time, and then I want your word that you'll never bring it up again. Alright?"

The princess nodded and perched on the edge of the couch. "So, my father was Althean?"

"Yes, he was. And I was shunned by my family for mating with him, since Saiyan females are normally expected to mate with Saiyan males. There's just too few of us to allow pair-bonding with non-Saiyans. That's why we never talk about him, alright?

"His name was Tsuku Yomi, and we met while I was stationed on Althea. He was a healer, like you, a woundbinder. It's a very rare gift among Altheans, and only a few families carried the trait. I cared for him more than you'll ever know, even though I didn't feel the pull, like I did with Vegeta. He was gentle, and kind. Like you, when your Saiyan side isn't taking over."

"And the lullaby? Did he sing it to me?"

Toma's lips turned up in a tiny smile as she remembered her first mate, tall and slender, holding a little bundle in his arms. "No. That was your grandmother, Serenity. You favor her, you know. A lot."

Usagi nodded, waiting for her to continue. She'd always wondered where her coloring had come from.

"You look like him a little bit in the face, when you smile. But he wasn't so pale, Serenity was. And his hair was lavender, almost silver when the light hit it just right. But all three of you have the exact same eyes." Toma wiped at the tears that had come unbidden to her eyes. "He was in love with you the moment he laid eyes on you, Usa. You were the light of his life."

"How… how did he die?" Usagi asked softly. She didn't want to upset her mother any further, but she needed to know.

"There was an epidemic on Althea, and all of the woundbinders were brought in to heal those who were sick. Despite my pleas for him to take it easy, he just continued to heal them. The children, I mean. The virus affected mostly the young and the very old, and Tsuku just wouldn't stop. His light went out, similar to that thundershaker's spark going out the other day, and even Serenity couldn't revive him.

"I was called back to Vegeta-sai a few weeks later, and when I went to report to the newly crowned king and swear allegiance, we both felt the pull. I… I have to give Vegeta credit, though. I was in mourning, so he fought the urge for several weeks. He even apologized after he took me, but don't you dare ever mention that to him, girl. He'd skin the both of us."

Usagi nodded. "He's going to skin me anyway. I'm not going to Earth." With dry eyes, she quickly explained to her mother what she knew about the dream, though it wasn't much at all.

"No, Usagi. You have to go. It's an order, and you have to follow it. And don't expect me to take your side on this one, either, brat."

"I don't, Mother. And thank you… for telling me about my father. I wish the Altheans had survived, I would have liked to travel there one day, maybe meet my grandmother."

"She was the strongest woundbinder on the planet, and you're just a strong as her, you know. Maybe even stronger. She'd be proud of you. Tsuku would be, too."


	11. Chapter 11

** WARNING: DEFINITELY M-RATED CHAPTER, YALL. BUG OUT NOW IF YOU DON'T LIKE SMUTTY-SMUT SMUT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?"

Usagi nodded hesitantly. "Yes. And you're going to wake me in an hour, no exceptions, ok? I don't know if he'll be there or not, I vaguely remember something about us being on opposite times. But something tells me he'll be waiting."

Rei nodded reluctantly and settled down in the armchair next to the bed, setting her alarm, while Usagi slid under the covers and closed her eyes. Like all Saiyan warriors, she was asleep within moments; it was a trait that they all had, to be able to fall asleep in a heartbeat if necessary, something developed centuries ago whenever their ancestors needed to catch some shut-eye between battles.

Usagi opened her inner eye, and sure enough, she found him waiting.

Vegeta pulled that wooden face, but his eyes betrayed the despair in them. "I didn't think you'd come," he admitted.

"Mother convinced me. I can't remember what happened, but I remember insisting that I wasn't going to come to Earth. What happened?"

"Does it matter?" He asked gruffly, taking a seat while they simply eyed each other from several yards away. When her eyes flashed with anger and she opened her mouth to protest, he held up a hand. "I don't want to talk about it, Usagi. I'm glad to see you, but just drop it. Frankly, I'm a little relieved that you can't remember."

"No, I will not drop it, Geta! What in the world could have made me so _mad_ that I'd refuse to come get you!?" She shouted.

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" He shouted right back. If he'd been awake and in his body, his ki would have been flaring wildly in frustration.

Damn dreams didn't last long enough; Usagi could feel a tug from behind her, and knew that her hour nap was up. "Fine then. I'm still not coming if you won't talk," she snapped stubbornly. "Bye, Vegeta."

####################

Mako pulled some meat out of the freezer and stuck it in the fridge to help it thaw a little for breakfast in the morning before stretching, yawning, and padding quietly to her room.

"And just where in the hell do you think you're going?"

"Bed, why?" She turned her head and caught Bardock's meaning when she saw his eyes glittering with desire. "No, Bardock," she said gently, "not tonight. Please, not yet, ok?" She gasped in surprise and tensed when he moved in a flash of Saiyan speed and pressed her firmly against the wall behind her. "Bardock… you're scaring me a little," she whispered, not for the first time.

"Gods, woman, I need you," he growled over her shoulder, clenching down on his willpower. His teeth barely grazed over the lightly tanned skin, making her shiver with anticipation. "You want me, Mako, I know you do. Please just let me have you. I swear on my armor that I'll be gentle." Bardock bit down lightly this time, but managed not to do anything else when he realized she was shaking.

"Please, Bardock, not yet," she whimpered in desperation.

"Why?" He snarled, just short of a yell, pulling back to look at her.

"Because I'm only just starting to think of you as more than just a Saiyan," she said softly, "and when you're like this, it makes it hard for me to think of you as anything else."

"Damn it, Mako," he ground through his teeth, "I'm your mate. I would never hurt you, and you know I would never take part in a purge ever again! I thought we were past that!"

Despite her fear of the Saiyan in him, she managed to straighten her back and stand her ground. "If you care for me at all, Bardock, you'll wait for me to come to you on my own terms," she stated firmly.

Bardock pulled away and fought the urge to smash something in frustration. If he'd been calm, he would have realized that this was where Turles got his anger problems from, but he was beyond rational thought at the moment. "Fine, woman, go to bed.

"Not that one!" He shouted, when she headed towards her own room, and when she moved to slam her door behind her, he darted between the door and the doorjamb, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her across the hall. "You're my mate, woman, and you'll share my bed. Understand me?"

Mako felt like kicking and screaming like a child, but only managed a weak pounding on his back as she wished she could zap the shit out of him. But no, she cared for him, damn it. And even worse, she wanted him. "Put me down," she growled.

"Fine," Bardock spat, dumping her on his bed. "Now go to sleep."

"No!" Mako shouted, losing control over the urge to rant and rave at him. Even the wonderful smell of him permeating the room wasn't calming her down as it should have. "I'm not your fucking mate, Bardock! And I won't be bullied into anything, least of all sharing your bed!" She shoved at him, giving him a very tame shock, and jumped out of the bed, stomping back to her room.

As soon as her hand touched the doorknob, though, she was jerked back, spun, and slammed against the door. The force knocked the wind out of her, and she couldn't struggle as she concentrated on trying to breathe. Mako found her hands pinned to either side of her head, and once she'd regained her breath she wiggled back and forth, trying to get loose.

Finally, she looked up at him with murder in her eyes. "Let me go, Bardock."

"Not unless you get in _my_ bed."

"No. I'll sleep wherever I want to."

Her complete refusal put him even more on edge, and the beast inside was urging him to claim this woman and put her in her place. "Mako, you're making it worse," he warned.

"Then get a handle on it, Bardock!" She raged. Mako froze when his mouth came crashing down on hers, and was so stunned for a moment that she couldn't even react. But when she could, she bit down savagely on his lip and snarled at him furiously, struggling and kicking in a futile effort to get loose.

Gods, this woman could fight like a Saiyan, and the inner beast in Bardock was reveling in it. He moved his mouth to her neck, his lips gentle, even if his grip and the way he was grinding against her was anything but. "Hold still," he growled, "unless you want me to bite down."

His teeth nibbling her shoulder, combined with his hand slipping up her nightgown was what finally stilled her. "No, Bardock. Please don't," she whispered with false calm. Inside she was raging at him, swearing in several different languages, and imagining a lightning bolt putting him through the wall.

"I won't, damn you. You want me to get a handle on it? Then hold the fuck still, woman."

Mako huffed, ignoring the way his hand was smoothing over the inside of her thigh, while his mouth continued to lazily explore the column of her throat. "Breathe in," she suggested with a grumble. "That helps, doesn't it?"

"Most of the time," he hedged, "but not right now." Bardock slid his hand beneath her panties and growled with approval when she softly gasped his name. "Sure you don't want to sleep in my bed?"

"I'm sure," she barely managed, unable to keep her hips from moving in time with his questing fingers. Mako moaned softly as he pulled down the top hem of her nightie and took a nipple in his mouth. "Bardock…"

"Your bed or mine, woman?" He ground his arousal against her bare thigh, and stopped the motions of his hand when he sensed that she was closing in on her peak.

Mako's eyes fluttered open, and she couldn't help but feel a little cheated. Damn it, she was aching for him to finish what he started, but she'd be damned if she was going to beg.

"Your bed, and I claim you," he whispered in her ear. "You said you don't want to sleep in my bed? Fine. We won't sleep, we'll just fool around all night. But in _my_ bed."

She licked her lips, knowing that he was watching the simple movement. "Just fooling around? You swear?"

"I swear it on my tail, woman."

"Your bed, then." Mako squeaked in surprise when he suddenly lifted her, and she couldn't do anything but react and wrap her legs around his waist for balance as he turn and carried her back across the hall.

And then his hand was between her legs again, ripping off her underwear as he tipped her back onto the bed, and she was arching against him as he shoved up her nightgown, kneeled, and took her with his mouth. "_**Holy**_— Bardock, what are you—" Her hips bucked of their own volition, and her eyes went wide at the very foreign feeling of his tongue making love to her. "Dear _gods_… that feels so good, Bardock…"

His only response was to slide his hand under her hips and lift her closer to him as he stroked her heat with his tongue. If she thought _that_ felt good, then he was about to blow her mind. She moaned softly, but it became a choked noise when one long finger slid inside of her, followed by a second. "Oh gods… Bardock… yes, right there," she whimpered, burying her fingers in his hair.

"Come for me, Mako."

She was hovering on the edge, but no, she didn't want this, not _quite_ yet. "No, Bardock… wait," she whispered, pulling at his armor to bring him up. He just looked at her in confusion, but she gave him a reassuring smile to let him know that she wasn't stopping him because something was wrong. "Lay down. It's my turn." When he just looked at her and didn't move, she shoved him over and began unstrapping his armor, pulling at his greaves, and had him down to his fatigues in no time flat.

He wanted to make a comment about her knowledge of Saiyan armor, but knew better; damn, she had made short work of it quickly! "In a hurry?"

"Just fooling around, right?" She confirmed, as she slid down his large body and nipped at the skin just above the hemline of his pants. Mako unbuttoned them and teasingly slid them over his hips when he nodded, and proceeded to leave slow, feather light kisses along his hip, accentuated with an occasional flick of her tongue. "I've never done this before," she confessed, as she slid the cloth down enough to expose him.

"Could've fooled me," he purred, "you're doing an excellent job so far." Bardock couldn't stop the purring in the bottom of his throat when she continued to lightly tease him; strangely enough, the sensation was quelling the beast inside of him.

Mako chuckled when that sound—which she found a little adorable—only intensified as her tongue flicked out against his length, making him jump. "Bardock… would you be ok with me trying something?"

A single eyebrow shot up; she definitely has his attention. "As long as it doesn't involve any lightning," he chuckled.

"It won't hurt, it's just… trust me, ok?"

"Dear gods, what am I getting myself into?" He asked nervously, but he nodded after a moment. And then he jumped and uttered something unintelligible when her mouth slid over him, and it… tingled. And damn, it was warm! Warmer than it should have been, and she was moving so slowly that he thought she was going to give him a second heart attack in the course of a single week. "Mako," he groaned, "let me have you, please." Gods, he was practically begging. "The things I want to do to you right now… gods… I swear, I'll make you come so many times that you won't be able to remember your own fucking name."

"Tempting, but my answer's still no, Bardock," she whispered, using her hand while she spoke. "Now… do me a favor, and warn me before you…" She blushed at that. "…you know."

He grinned; her shyness was too cute sometimes. "What, woman, you don't want to taste me?"

She turned even redder at that and shook her head. "It's not that, it's… you'll see," she allowed, before resuming her slow method of torture.

Bardock couldn't take much more, and within minutes he was warning her, but when he expected her to take him in hand— and she only pulled away and stopped— he growled a little in the back of his throat. "I don't like being teased, woman."

"Not teasing," Mako whispered, crawling up to kiss him. She rolled to the side, taking him with her, and brushed her hand over him, using her powers to make him tingle.

"Ah, I understand now," Bardock purred. "You wanted us to feel good together? Like last time."

"Yeah," she admitted shyly, "I really liked that."

"Stop, woman, I have a better way of doing this." He rolled her back on top of him, and when his length pressed against her and she jerked away, he gently tugged her back down. "Just trust me, Mako. We won't; I swore, remember?" Once she'd relaxed against him, he laid his arousal flat on his stomach and brought her down on top of it, guiding her hips so that she was sliding over him without being penetrated. Bardock purred with pleasure at the sensation, and he could tell by the way she was taking over that she was receiving pleasure from it as well. "Can you come for me like this?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "but it feels good. It's ok if I can't, though, I can see you're enjoying it." Mako smirked as she started using her shaking gifts once again and he moaned. He wasn't going to last long like this, she knew, but she was loving every minute of watching his face as she made him delirious with pleasure.

"Not yet," Bardock whispered hoarsely. "Are you close?" When she shook her head, he lifted her off of him before he exploded, and laid her on her back. "Yet again, just trust me, ok?"

Mako nodded slowly; it seemed that this whole night was going to become a very serious game of trust. She gasped and her head tipped back when she felt something wider than his fingers enter her, but she knew it wasn't him. "Tail?" She choked out.

"Yeah," he replied huskily, making it go rigid as he pressed forward. He stopped when he brushed against her virginity, and began to move it inside of her slowly as his fingers slipped between her legs to stroke her.

Mako kept her hips still, not wanting to lose her innocence to his tail, and whimpered with pleasure. "That feels good for you too, doesn't it?"

"_Extremely _good, woman." The Saiyan rolled her onto her side and kissed her as he ground himself against her hip, and moaned when her long fingers closed over him and slowly began to stroke. "Gods, Mako…"

"Won't…" Her eyes rolled back as a wave of pure bliss washed through her, signaling that she was close to her climax. "…it hurt your tail when I…?"

"Might," he allowed, also closing in on his orgasm. Bardock had done this before with Romayna, but his first mate had been a Saiyan woman, and had been built to withstand a Saiyan pounding. Mako, being Althean, was smaller and admittedly _much_ tighter than a Saiyan woman. He was willing to risk it though, since he knew the intense effect of climaxing while engaging in this type of tailplay.

"Bardock…" Mako's mouth dropped open and her breaths started coming in short pants. "I'm going to—"

"Yes, beloved… yes… come for me, I want you to." Bardock groaned as he exploded in her hand, and the sound turned into a whimper when she suddenly tightened around his tail and cried out loudly. "Gods, beloved… you're so damned tight," he growled, still riding on waves of pleasure, which were now mixed with an equal amount of pain. However, he kept moving his tail inside of her slowly, intent on dragging out her orgasm.

Mako slumped against him after thirty more seconds of indescribable pleasure, laying a tender kiss on his lips. "That was amazing," she whispered happily.

He grunted as he slipped his tail out of her, and resisted the urge to rub it. Bardock grunted again when she started giggling. "What's funny?"

"I told you so," she snickered. "Tried to warn you, but no, the big bad man just didn't listen." Mako's smile lit up her face as she cracked her eyes open to see him glaring daggers at her. "I didn't hurt it too badly, did I?" She asked sympathetically.

"As hard as you came, it was worth it. I just won't do it again until I've given you enough poundings to stretch you out a little," he chuckled. Bardock gave her a come-hither grin, noting the way her eyes sparkled at that facial expression. He'd have to remember to use it more often. "What I can hardly wait for is to feel you get that tight while I'm buried inside of you."

"Well, we've only got what? Three days left? That's the longest you'll have to wait."

When Mako grinned at him slyly, he closed his eyes and groaned dramatically. "Please don't tell me you're actually going to wait all three days!? Woman, that's fucking torture!"

She wiggled against him suggestively and grinned. "And if that's what I plan on doing?"

"Woman, I have half a mind to bite you here and now and simply seduce the shit out of you. You'll be begging for it in less than fifteen minutes," he replied seriously.

"Well then, be happy that I decided against asking the king for an extension… when I delivered his cheesecake. I'm positive that he'll agree to anything I ask when he's got a mouthful of pure heaven."

"Woman, that's just diabolical."

Mako nodded and grinned, snuggling into his chest. "I knew you'd see it my way."

####################

Her green-eyed warrior came to her that night, much to her surprise. And with the way he was looking at her, she briefly wondered if he was somehow connected to Vegeta. His eyes were sad, almost depressed, and they held a tenderness for her that she'd seen on several occasions.

They almost never spoke, her and the warrior, but she always seemed to know whatever he was thinking. And for the first time in weeks, he wasn't thinking about slaking his lust. Usagi approached him slowly, and brushed her mouth over his, sighing as she felt him relax a little.

She wasn't mad at him, and he seemed to know that, though the sadness in his eyes didn't waver. Usagi could still only see his eyes, but she sensed that he was smiling a little when she trailed a hand to his waistband, her fingers silently asking if he wanted her tonight.

She knew what would make him feel better, and she was pretty sure it would have the same effect on her mood as it would on his, even if he was likely just a figment of her imagination.

He stopped her though, wrapping his calloused hand around her wrist, and simply pulled her to him to kiss her, both of them moaning at the contact as their tongues began to slowly explore each other's mouths. His hands were caressing her face, then her neck, then her back, and Usagi had never felt so cherished in her entire life.

She wished she could just stay like that forever, with him, and never wake up. The warrior grunted, as if to tell her that that couldn't happen, and Usagi sighed, knowing he was right. Then she felt something soft beneath her, and he was lying on top of her, worshiping her body lazily with his mouth and hands as he stripped away her nightgown.

He made her climax several times, crying out softly as she tried to bite down on his shoulder, but no matter how hard she bit him, she could never break the skin. It was always that way, and with him as well, whenever he tried to sink his teeth into her shoulder.

And then he was sheathed inside of her, taking her up over and over again while she clung to him desperately, unable to do much but hang on to him and move her hips in time with his.

This was the first time he hadn't taken her with the aggressive nature that she knew could only mean that he was at least half-Saiyan. This time, though, he was slow and gentle, moving inside of her reverently as he made love to her, urging her to take her pleasure as often as she liked.

And when it was over, Usagi was nuzzling his chest, wrapped in his arms, telling him silently how much she loved him, how much she wished he was truly real.

###############

Vegeta awoke, physically satisfied, but aching inside at Usagi's rejection. After she'd left, he'd had that dream again, which was at least some solace.

He'd achieved Super Saiyan, and he could feel the power radiating around him, even though this time he wasn't nearly as happy about it as he usually was.

And Usagi had been there, too, but rather than taking her hard and fast as he usually did in those dreams, he was still feeling remorse for scaring her off. He'd made love to her instead, and for the first time in his dreams, she'd told him she loved him, even though she hadn't used words.

They almost never spoke in those dreams, it was always just raw, physical, and sexual. There was never an actual need for words, unless it was to say 'yes' or 'harder.' Vegeta smirked at that thought; she'd said plenty of that first word, but hadn't even uttered the second for the first time ever.

And he'd enjoyed that love-making session intensely as well. If only it had been real.

The Saiyan prince showered, threw on his clothes, and stomped downstairs, to where Bulma was preparing dinner. "No luck?" She asked sympathetically. She'd actually hugged Vegeta that morning, when he'd come downstairs, looking so brokenhearted that for a moment she'd thought he was going to cry. Which was a scary thought.

"No, just that other dream that I have all the time. Usagi never showed; I suspect she didn't take a pain killer just to avoid seeing me again."

Bulma sighed and squeezed Vegeta's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "I'm sorry, Vegeta. That must be hard. At least you had the Super Saiyan dream again, right? You always enjoy those."

The prince managed a chuckle. "It was bittersweet, frankly. But the sex was good, as always. Better than usual, in fact."

She laughed at that and went back to preparing their supper, but froze when a thought occurred to her. "Vegeta… you don't think that it's possible…?"

"What, woman?" Seeing the look on her face, he waited patiently, not wanting to interrupt her thought process. Whatever she was thinking, it was big. Huge, if he was guessing right. Bulma only ever got quiet like that when she was on the verge of spouting out some ridiculously brilliant epiphany.

"Usagi…" Bulma swallowed and licked her lips. If she was right… she was about to turn Vegeta's entire world on its head. "She said that she dreams of a green-eyed warrior, Vegeta. _**Green eyes**_."

"So?" He couldn't keep the hint of jealousy out of his voice. It was a dream and nothing more, just as his dreams of becoming Super Sai— Vegeta's jaw dropped in shock and he just stared at Bulma for several moments.

"Exactly," the genius said softly. "Are you always a Super Saiyan in those dreams when you have sex with her?" She smiled in satisfaction when he gave a slow nod, his jaw still on the floor. "And she said that he was always rough and a little wild, right?"

Vegeta nodded again, just as slowly, and finally managed to close his mouth. "And Super Saiyans have green eyes."

"Leave it to you to focus on the most obvious of facts, Vegeta."

"I wasn't rough with her in this dream," he managed through the lump in his throat. This was big. This was _huge_. If this theory was correct, they had actually been meeting each other and mating since she'd been sixteen, at least in the dreams when he'd ascended. Only every once in a while did he claim her with black hair and eyes. Those must have been dreams of complete fantasy, while the others were real. "I felt bad for making her mad, and…"

"And you made love to her instead," Bulma finished for him. "Good for you. I suggest you do it more often, women don't like it rough all the time, you know."

"Saiyan women do," Vegeta answered with a grin.

"Well, she's only half-Saiyan, you said so yourself." Bulma chuckled when Vegeta yanked her to him and laid a chaste, friendly kiss right on her lips.

"Woman, you're a fucking genius," he purred happily.

"I know," she answered brightly, unable to keep the smugness out of her voice.

##################

"Ugh, Usa!" Rei snapped, waking the princess with a shove.

"What!?" She whined, shoving right back, knocking Rei right out of the bed.

"You were… cuddling me! And drooling on my chest!" Rei complained, rubbing her sore butt.

"You know damned well I cuddle, Rei! Gods! And I could hardly help it that I was drooling, sorry! I was having a great dream, and you woke me up from it!" She added before she could stop herself. Usagi's face reddened at the memory of just who she'd been dreaming of, and how wonderful it had felt to be made love to like _that_.

"What were you dreaming about?" Raditz rumbled from the bed across the room. He chuckled when Usagi stuck her tongue out and huffed in embarrassment. He could clearly smell her arousal from across the room, and he knew Rei could, too.

"A man, obviously," Rei snorted. "Was it good?" She asked with a wicked grin. Usagi's increasingly reddening face was all the answer she needed. "That good, huh? Wow."

The princess hid her face in her hands and shook her head. "This is so embarrassing. I'm going to go shower, damn it."

Raditz grinned when Usagi slid out of the bed and padded to the bathroom. "Better make it a cold one, Highness." He laughed when she opened the door and threw a bar of soap at his head, which he easily caught.

Rei went to her private quarters, and having showered the night before, she slipped into her black fatigues and tank. Once her boots were laced she joined Raditz, who was still half-naked and fumbling with his armor. "Here," she offered, coming up behind him. "Hold still." Without an ounce of effort, she had his armor properly strapped on, minus the shoulder pads. "You know, it looks better without those things," she commented.

Raditz eyed her curiously, but she only huffed at him in amusement. "Not a chance, Raditz. I just thought it might help your plight with the princess?" She added in a hushed tone.

"Ah, understood," Raditz answered in relief. For a moment, he'd been worried that the handmaiden was interested in him, and he was _not_ fighting his baby brother over a woman. "Thank you, I'll leave it as is, then."

##############

King Vegeta looked up at the knock on his private sitting room and grunted for the visitor to enter. His indifference turned into a slow grin when Mako opened the door, bearing two covered dishes. "Woman, you are a goddess," he sighed, taking the bigger dish from her the moment she was within reach.

"Ah, hang on," Mako chided, when he unwrapped it and reached for a fork. She took the tinfoil from the second dish and revealed the cherry topping. "Since you liked the pie so much, I thought you might like to try the cheesecake with some of this."

The king just gaped, and like a greedy little boy, he snagged the bowl, grabbed a plate, and cut a slice of the confection, carefully laying it on the clean dish. Mako spooned some of the cherries and syrup over it for him.

She smiled with pleasure when his eyes closed and he began purring. "Woman… I think I just died a little," he mumbled with his mouth full.

Mako giggled and nodded. "That was pretty much Bardock's reaction to it, too. I think cheesecake got added to his regular dessert menu. Oh! I almost forgot! Here." She dug in her bag and pulled out a wine bottle. "I filled it with that salad dressing from yesterday."

"Are you sure that you're not some reincarnated domestic goddess?" He asked with a touch of wonder.

"Sometimes I wonder that myself, but no," she answered, flushing with pleasure. "And I wanted to thank you, by the way."

Vegeta took another bite, larger this time, and moaned softly. This was as good as sex. No, it was better. It was like his mouth had just orgasmed. "Thank me for what?" He asked pleasantly,.

"The rose bush," she said softly. "I don't think you know how much it meant, Majesty. It was very thoughtful of you."

Turning his head to look at her, he was suddenly very serious. "Don't thank _me_, woman. Thank your mate. It was totally his idea; he asked me to procure one, no matter the cost, and have it delivered with the rest of the flats." Vegeta smiled in understanding when her jaw fell. "He cares for you a lot, woman. And since I can smell the fact that he hasn't claimed you yet, I'm sure I can think of a sufficient way for you to show him your gratitude."

She opened and closed her mouth several times, not sure how to reply. Finally, she just settled on nodding.

"I won't expect another one of these fabulous desserts for at least a week, I take it?" The king asked wryly. "Since you'll obviously be too busy to cook much?"

Mako blushed and nodded again. "I'd better cook a lot of food to last us several days… I have a feeling that this is going to be an event. Dear gods…"

#################

Raditz grinned at his princess when she strode into the training ring, sans sling, with a triumphant smirk on her face. "Ami gave her some of that salve, huh?"

"It was almost the last of it," Nappa replied quietly, "But with Mako's powers, she should have more samples of the plant in twenty-four hours."

"Everyone," Usagi announced, "this is my new handmaiden, Rei. I'm sure you've all been burned by her once or twice. And I'm not taking any challenges today, either." She grinned when a few of the younger warriors groaned and immediately left.

"Good," a warrior called out, "we're tired of you hogging the ring," he laughed.

"So am I," Usagi chuckled.

"Well, then, girl, you'll be really tired of it by the time I'm through with you," a low voice chuckled.

Everyone turned and more than a few of the Elite gasped and bowed their heads at the sight of the king, who had shed his cloak and armor for the more typical fatigues and tank used during sparring sessions. Usagi looked him up and down, and had to admit that he made quite the striking figure, now that his arm and shoulder tattoos were visible. "Looking _hot_, Father."

"I'm pleased you think so," he replied with an easy grin. "So, do you accept my challenge?"

"As long as it's not for my hand," she laughed.

The king joined in on the laughter and finally made a slightly grossed out face, causing all of them to laugh once more. "No, my terms are much simpler than that, daughter." He approached her and bent his head to her ear so only she could hear him. "I've heard of this business about you refusing to go to Earth. You and I both know that you're stronger than me, so I'll pose this challenge. I land three hits, and you go. Your ship is already prepared, and Raditz has agreed that he's also ready to leave, even if it is a little early. I land one, and you at least let me do your ink, since you're the only inker in the squad."

"Father… why do you care if I go?" Usagi asked softly, unable to hide the fact that she was more than a little upset."

"One, I don't want Raditz vaporized. And two, because my son will likely return to Vegeta-sai if you're there to convince him. I'm not totally sure that he'll agree if he's made a home there. He never did much like the idea of ruling one day."

"I know. He just wanted to fight, to be the greatest warrior," Usagi muttered.

"So?"

"Yes, I accept your terms, Father. Give me a minute to get this damned armor off. I'd only meant to do some light sparring today, and the armor gives me extra weight for training. I didn't expect a real fight on my hands today."

"I'm pleased to know that you consider me an actual challenge, girl," Vegeta replied.

"Yeah, yeah," she snorted, this time loud enough for everyone to hear. "Give me a moment." Usagi flew up to her room, followed by Rei, and let her handmaiden help her strip off the armor and guards. She traded the singlet beneath for the same clothing that the king was wearing, and let Rei braid her loose hair.

The two of them landed back in the sparring ring, only to find Turles waiting as well, hovering a hair over the ground to favor his legs. "Ugh, can you not fuck off for five fucking minutes!" Rei screamed at him. "Give me some gods damned peace for one fucking day!"

Turles sighed, not in the mood to argue. His legs hurt too bad, but he'd been aching to see her, even in the half-conscious state of the med tank. "I'm not here to claim you," he said softly, carefully approaching her with his hands out in a gesture of peace.

Their eyes met, and Rei felt that damned tug again, making her feel almost sympathetic towards him. "They why are you here?"

He'd seen that flicker of emotion in her eyes, and it gave him hope. "Just to spend a little time with you," he whispered, not wanting the other warriors to hear him. Damn it, he had a reputation to uphold, and this woman was going to totally ruin it in only a few minutes. "I swear I won't do anything too forward, ok?"

"Swear it on your tail," Rei snarled. "Then I'll believe you."

"I swear it on my tail," he replied, just loudly enough for Usagi and the king to hear.

"Rei, go get him one of my painkillers," Usagi ordered. "How much you weigh, Turles? Two-sixty?"

"Close enough. And thank you," he said, unable to hide a touch of surprise.

Usagi huffed; she knew she could do better than that. "In the air, Turles. Excuse me for a moment, Father." When the king nodded gruffly, the princess rose into the air, and didn't speak until they were out of earshot. "I'll heal your damned legs if you swear something to me."

"Depends what it is," Turles answered honestly.

"Just… _court_ her for a little while. Would that be so fucking hard, Turles? If you need tips on women, just call Raditz… or even me. I don't mind giving you a little help, so long as you stop acting like such an insufferable douchebag." Usagi frowned when he shook his head a little. "Consider it a challenge, Turles. You want her body, fine. But it'd be even more satisfying if you won her heart, too, wouldn't it?"

"That's one hell of a daunting challenge," he grumbled.

"And I guarantee that you'll never get her into bed unless you do it my way. Rei will set you on fire again and again, and as long as she's not willing, I'm not above bringing in Broly." She smirked a little when he visibly cringed at the mention of Mina's mate. "You'll never have her if you do it the caveman way."

After several moments of silence, while he mulled it all over, Turles finally tipped his head in agreement. "Fine. I'll do it your way. I swear it on my armor and my tail," he added, when she lifted an eyebrow, waiting for him to say the words.

Usagi floated towards him then, and filled him with her light, healing him quickly, before dropping back to the ground. "Painkillers won't be necessary," Usagi told Rei. "Turles and I had a talk, and he's going to play nice. I expect you to do the same," she whispered in her ear. "He swore on his tail," she added softly.

"Fine," Rei ground through her teeth.

Usagi popped her neck, then her knuckles, and eyed her father with a savage gleam in her eyes before she took a fighting stance and powered up. "Alright, old man. Your ass is mine," she chuckled evilly.

"Gods, girl, you sound just like you could really be my brat." He grinned and took a stance as well, and they both waited tensely for Nappa to call out for them to begin.

"Ten minutes," Nappa said firmly, stepping back and out of the way. "Begin."

Usagi let the king strike first out of respect, but she didn't let him land a hit. She blocked him easily, and they were locked in a heated battle within moments, in which neither would give the other so much as an inch.

The princess's eyes widened in surprise as the king's ki suddenly shot up above her own, and he landed a blow to her ribs. She snarled at that as she rose her own energy level above his once more; yet again, out of respect, she had kept her ki fairly low in an effort to not upstage him.

"I'm not a pussy, girl," he growled angrily. "Show me what you've got and stop holding back."

Usagi nodded. "Just remember, Father. You asked for it."

Vegeta frowned as her ki shot upwards, far above his own, and she took off into the sky. So this was to be an aerial battle? He could do that. He maxed out his own ki and shot after her, tackling her from below while he tried his damnedest to land a second hit. "What, girl, you're not going to hit me back?"

"Don't want to hurt you," she grunted, easily dodging and blocking a flurry of punches and kicks. "Wouldn't be respectful, Majesty."

"Girl, if you think you can actually hit me, by all means do it," he huffed, annoyed and a tad insulted by her unwillingness to strike him. Damn it, he wasn't some feeble old man; he could take a fucking punch!

"Yet again, Father, you asked for it," Usagi remarked seriously. She stopped holding back, and within seconds, she'd landed a blow to his jaw. Quickly flying back, she waited for him to yell at her.

"Good hit," he grunted, popping it a little. That was going to smart if he didn't let her heal it later. "But you still hit like a girl." He inwardly grinned when she snarled at him; good, that had been the reaction he was looking for. If he got her mad, not only would she start actually fighting, but she would also get distracted enough for him to land two more blows.

He'd promised his son this girl, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to make it happen. Vegeta owed the prince for all of those years spent with Frieza, so this was the least he could do. "Come on, sissy girl, try and hit me again," Vegeta goaded.

Usagi was on him in a flash, landing one blow in three, giving the king quite a beating. But in her rage, she failed to block a kick to her hip, and gasped as she felt it crack a little. Fucking asshole. But then again, it looked like she'd broken his jaw with that last hit to his face.

"That's two, girl."

"I _can_ count, old man. Too bad we're not keeping tally of the hits I've landed on you."

"Brat, you'd better—"

"Shut up and just bring it, old man," Usagi teased darkly. "And just be glad that I'm not breaking out the ki blasts." The princess chuckled as her father flew at her and began a vicious assault, focusing on her hip, knowing that he'd damaged it enough to make her favor that side. She cursed his name silently, but she really couldn't complain, since she'd be doing the same damned thing to him. She tried to focus on his jaw, but found herself trying to guard her hip to avoid taking any more damage to it.

Finally, the king found an opening, and landed a heavy blow to the kneecap on her bad side, just as she nailed him in the jaw once more. They both winced simultaneously, just as Nappa floated up and called time. He offered assistance to both of them, but the father and daughter just grunted, sounding exactly alike.

They weren't blood, Nappa mused, but they sure as hell had more in common than either of them would _ever _admit. "Usagi's match," Nappa said firmly, as they all touched down. Well, almost all of them. Usagi was still hovering just slightly, knowing better than to put any weight on her left leg. The knee was dislocated, and the hip had hairline fractures. Any pressure would fuck it up even worse.

"The king wins the bet, though, of course," Nappa added smugly. He wondered for a moment if should tell Vegeta that he'd actually called time after thirteen minutes, and that his daughter had actually won the bet. Nah. He'd bring that up later if he had to, but it was better not to fuck with the king's pride.

At least not in front of an audience, anyway.

"You alright, Usa?" Raditz asked in concern.

"Fine," she grunted, sitting down on the bench on the edge of the sparring ring. She ripped off what was left of the fatigues on her bad leg, tearing the fabric up past the knee, and motioned him over. "You know the drill, Radu."

"Ugh, woman."

"Yeah, I know. And easy with it, the hip on that side's broken, too." Usagi winced when he took her leg in his hands and skillfully relocated her knee. She managed to only yelp a little at the pain, and let him slowly flex it afterwards. "It's good, Radu, thanks. Come on, old man!" She shouted across the ring. "Your turn! I know I had to have broken more than that jaw."

"Yeah, yeah," the king huffed, cringing at the pain from speaking. He sat next to Usagi and let her go to work, assessing the damage.

"You know, Father, that broken jaw makes you look a little less ugly. Maybe we should let it be," she teased. She grinned when the Elite overheard her and started guffawing at her joke. Usagi healed it and winked at him. "Don't worry, you're still handsome. Other than that broken nose, of course." She set it first, taking a flicker of joy from causing him just a little pain after what he'd done to her knee, and then promptly healed it.

"That should do it," the king grunted.

"Bullshit. You've got four broken ribs, Father, a broken clavicle, and a broken tibia. Sit the fuck down before I make you." Usagi simply ripped his shirt down the middle and placed her hands on his rippling, tanned chest before focusing her power on filling him. "I can do it all at once, just don't move," she instructed.

King Vegeta caught her when she swayed a little. "Usagi?" He asked in concern.

"I'm good," she insisted. "Broken bones always cost the most power, and it doesn't help when my body's trying to heal itself, too. I just need to rest for a little bit."

"If you're sure, girl. Come on, I'll carry you to your rooms, you shouldn't put any weight on that leg until Nappa's mate takes a look at it."

"Yes, Father," she groaned, sounding like a petulant teenager. Once she was in her room, she grabbed her scouter and called Raditz. "Make sure Turles is a complete gentleman, and if he isn't, sic Broly on him," she ordered. "I'm not to be disturbed for a couple hours."

"You need anything, girl?" Vegeta asked her.

"Nah, thanks. I guess I'll need flight maps later, though," she groaned. "How many days before we depart?"

"Three or four, depending on the weather. I'll come back to wake you."

Usagi dropped off quickly, and to her complete and utter surprise, she found herself in the white void, and Vegeta wasn't anywhere in sight. "Well, this is interesting. Geta?" She called.

The princess felt a slight mental tug, and wondered what in the hell was going on. Maybe… maybe she'd made it here on her own, without him sleeping? Was he still awake? The answer to her question came immediately as the void around her melted away, and left her standing in an open field, facing a very large complex of buildings.

And Vegeta was there, up in the sky, engaged in what looked like a sparring match, since neither of them were breaking out any energy waves. Only they were really beating the hell out of each other! Usagi grinned at that; her brother had always been a little too zealous when he was sparring, but this other warrior seemed to be matching him blow for blow! "Must be Kakarot. Nappa said he'd gotten strong, especially for a third-class soldier."

Knowing that he couldn't see her, Usagi sat down on the grass and watched them move, using her superior Saiyan eyes to record every strike and movement in her brain for later use against her brother when she arrived.

She was totally going to put him in the dirt.

**Selene: You finally got your answer to Turles… or at least part of it. More Turles will definitely be in the next chapter!**

**Chibi: as always, thank you for reviewing!**

**Ana: I hope you enjoyed the smut. :D You already knew what I was writing though, since we were talking about me being inspired while we were on AIM**


	12. Chapter 12

**Wow, so to those of yall that don't review, you kinda suck. XD But you can change that and be awesome by just dropping a one-line review! Only takes ya a couple seconds! Took me three days to write this chapter! So be nice to me!**

**And as usual, but the last time for two chapters, I think, WARNING: RATED M CHAPTER, SMUTTY SMUT SMUT… YADAYADAYADA YOU KNOW THE DRILL. UNDER 16 AND/OR EASILY OFFENDED PEOPLE FUCK THE FUCK OFF. Love yall!**

Turles knocked on the door again and huffed nervously. Damn Raditz, he was wrong about this, he just knew it. He heard a voice from inside call, and it sounded slightly distressed, so after a moment of contemplation, he opened the door. "Hello?"

"Yes!" A woman called, "could you please give me some help, whoever you are!? It's urgent!" Turles followed the sound of movement, zipping down the hallways with his inhuman speed, and found a raven-haired woman cradling a short, balding, elderly man. "Please, help me get him in the bed."

Turles grunted and effortlessly scooped up the old man, gently placing him in the bed across the room. "He's running a fever," he rumbled.

"I know," the woman said quickly, rushing to the bedside with a mug in her hand and some pills. "Father, please wake up," she urged. "I need you to take this medicine."

"I'll try, Reiko," he wheezed. Turles helped him sit up a little when the old man struggled to do so, and kept him in that position until he'd swallowed all the pills and the contents of the cup. The Saiyan made sure an extra pillow was under his head to ease his breathing before turning to the woman. "How'd he fall?"

"Trying to come into the kitchen, I suspect," she sighed. "He's always been so damned stubborn that it makes me just want to set what hair he has left on fire."

Well, it was obvious where Rei got her stubbornness from, and judging by this woman's attitude, that was where Rei got the fiery temper. "I'm Turles." He wasn't surprised to see the gratitude in her eyes replaced by wary distrust. "I just came to meet Rei's family," he assured her. "It was my brother's idea," he admitted, "but I'm glad I followed through with it. The old man would have been too heavy for someone your size to lift."

"I'm Reiko," the woman said slowly, deciding to trust him for the moment. After all, he'd just saved her father from gods knew how long on the floor until Rei swung by or a neighbor finally heard her yelling. She couldn't have left him there while she ran for help, without someone to watch him. "This is Rei's grandfather, Hiroto. But everyone calls him Grandpa. So… your brother told you to come by?"

Turles nodded, and against his will, his cheeks colored slightly. "I'm trying to court your daughter," he mumbled a little nervously. "And I'm doing a really shitty job of it so far. So Raditz said I should do what would make her the happiest, and after talking to her squadmates, I found out that she spends all of her free time doing chores around here."

"So you thought… what? That you could just waltz in here and do her chores?" Reiko asked incredulously.

"I—I just thought I could do something she'd appreciate. Gifts haven't worked," he added with a growl. "I just want her to be happy."

"You know what makes Rei the happiest? Bathing in the blood of her enemies," Reiko said with a wry smile. "And her suitors." She was pleased when he looked at her wide-eyed for a moment before he realized that she was making a joke. "And after the way you tried to take the princess, and then her, you should be ashamed of yourself, boy," she said flatly, her violet eyes flashing in anger. "You're like some brat bullying those weaker than you. I bet it was humbling to get your ass handed to you by a couple of women; both of them half-Saiyans at that."

Turles nodded a little; he'd known that this verbal ass-kicking was coming long before he'd even knocked on the door.

"Gods, you Saiyan men are all the same," she finished in exasperation, throwing her hands in the air. "It's a wonder that I ever mated with one, and he was as much of an asshole as you, too."

"How long did he court you?" Turles asked curiously.

"We were eighteen, and it took him two years to beat me in single combat. By that time, though, he'd done something similar to what you're doing now, so I finally let him win. You two felt the pull?" She asked, and when he nodded a little, she sighed. "Can't stand in the way of that," she hedged. "Come on."

Turles followed her to the kitchen without question and stood at the end of the bar in front of the stove. The chairs in there were made for people much lighter than him, and he was afraid of breaking one on accident and pissing Rei's mother off.

"Here, boy." Reiko handed him a basket, a piece of paper, and some credits. "This is today's shopping. Rei hates the market, so if you want to get on her good side, show up here every day around this same time and go do it for her. That will at least earn you some points." She took the paper back and hurriedly scribbled something in Saiyan glyphs. "That's the chemist you need to go to as well, for Grandpa's medicine, and I'll need it in two hours, so don't be late getting back. You hear me boy?"

"Yes, madam," Turles said respectfully. "Gods, is Rei going to be as scary as you with our own brats?" He wondered aloud.

"Getting a little ahead of yourself, boy, since you aren't even mated yet," Reiko chuckled. "Now get on out of here before I change my mind and tell Rei you showed up flinging curses and threatening to kick my ass."

Turles hoped like hell she was joking, and scurried out of there faster than a prideful Saiyan warrior should have. "Gods, that woman is a little scary," he breathed, once he was on his way to the market.

It only took him an hour to find and purchase the items on the list, and as an afterthought he also bought, with his own credits, a bundle of red desert flowers for the table. He flew to the chemist, since it was a couple miles away, deeper into the city, and waited for the woman behind the counter to put together the bundle of medicine.

The price made him flinch; was it really so damned high? "Lady, I want you to do me a favor," Turles rumbled. "From now on, any medicine for Rei and Reiko's family will be charged to me, no exceptions. Just have it signed and I'll make sure it gets paid. How often do they get this order? Once a month?"

"Once a week, warrior."

"Spread the word to the other chemists in the city as well, then. I don't want Rei getting pissed and going somewhere else just because she insists on paying for it."

"You must be Turles," the woman said with approval. "I see you've finally figured out how to court an Althean. Good. Keep taking care of her like this, and you'll piss her off something fierce, but you'll win her eventually if you're persistent."

"Let's hope so," he sighed, as he paid for the medicine out of his own pocket, tucking Reiko's money into one of the herb packets in the bundle that the chemist handed him. "I'll be in once a week to pay the account if I'm not picking up the medicine myself."

"Will do, warrior. Good luck with the chase, and I hope she doesn't set your cock on fire."

Turles immediately flew back to the house, knocked once, then let himself in. "Reiko?" He grinned when he smelled his intended. "Rei?" His grin only widened when she poked her head around the corner and glared at him. "Fancy meeting you here," he purred.

"I don't know what possessed my mother to let you do the shopping, and I don't care. Set the basket down and get the fuck out."

"REI! THAT IS NO WAY TO SPEAK TO A GUEST, YOUNG LADY!" Reiko's voice screamed from the kitchen.

The female warrior growled, her tail bristling in frustration. Of course, her mother would have to like the bastard. And the least Turles could do would be to get that smug, shit-eating grin off of his face. "Fine," she snarled, "please, come in." Her head disappeared back around the corner, and Turles made his way to the kitchen, nodding his head in respect to Reiko. "I think that's everything." He put the basket on the table, and hid a smile when she pulled out the flowers first.

"For Rei?" Reiko asked with a knowing smile.

"No, they're for you," he said flatly, "as a thank you, for giving me a chance." Turles had actually bought them for the table, of course, but he'd take any and all brownie points that he could get at that point. "How's Hiroto?"

Reiko smiled at the touch of genuine concern in his voice. "He'll be alright, he's just recovering from an illness, and at his age, that can take a while." She handed him a tray. "Here, Turles, if you'd be so kind as to take him his lunch?"

"Sure." He knew the way, and was surprised to see the old man sitting up in bed, reading a book. "Good to see you're conscious, warrior."

Hiroto snorted at that word and shook his head. "The Althean term of respect is 'sir,' or for one my age, 'grandfather.' I'm a priest, not a warrior, but I appreciate the effort, young man. And you should call Reiko 'ma'am,' just for reference. 'Woman' is considered disrespectful, but she's used to that, I'm sure."

"I'll call her whatever she wants war—er, sir. She's the mother of my mate."

"Not yet, she's not," Hiroto replied cheekily, accepting the mug of tea that Turles handed him. "Reiko tells me that you felt the pull with her," he chuckled. "You have my sincere sympathy, boy. I suggest that you buy some sort of fireproof armor and coat yourself in flame retardant oil."

"Makes me almost wish I was a waterwalker," Turles mumbled, taking a seat at the bedside while he went through the motions of setting up the food tray.

"Boy, I'm not helpless, I can fix my own damned food." Hiroto snagged the tray and sat it on his lap, glaring at the Saiyan with what remained of his battered pride.

"My apologies, grandfather, I meant no disrespect. What was the nature of your illness?"

"Pneumonia," he answered, lightening his tone. Turles meant well, and he knew it. "Contrary to what my granddaughter's told me, you seem like an alright young man. Tell me what you've done to piss her off so badly."

"What she's told you is probably all true," Turles said flatly, with a touch of a growl. "But Usagi and my brother both convinced me to try things this way; that the Saiyan way wasn't going to work."

"The princess and your brother both have good heads on their shoulders, boy. They're absolutely correct. Might does not always make right, and among Altheans it almost never does. You'll have to woo her, Turles. Be nice to her, spend time with her, court her like you're both teenagers. She's never had that, you know.

"She had an awfully hard time growing up here after her father passed. I imagine it was the same as the princess, being half-Saiyan and a female to boot," Hiroto said sagely. "So whenever a warrior would show inter—"

"Grandpa!"

Hiroto and Turles both turned their heads and had the grace to look slightly ashamed. "Rei," Turles said softly, tipping his head in respect.

"Turles," she ground through her teeth. She didn't return the nod. "If you're finished prying into my personal life, my mother was wondering if you'd join us for tea." It was obvious that she was forcing every word out, fighting the urge to scream her head off at him, set him on fire, and kick him out into the street to burn to death. "And you…" Rei glared daggers at her grandfather, her eyes flashing violently, "…could do me the courtesy of not encouraging him!"

"Since you're not giving him any, I thought it would be wise to offer the boy an ally in gaining your affections, child," Hiroto replied tartly, not at all phased by her tone or glare of death.

Rei let out an inarticulate cry of frustration, the hairs of her tail bristling as she turned and stomped out of the room. Turles merely stared after her while Grandpa laughed his head off and tucked into his meal. "I'd follow her, boy."

"You sure she's not going to set my head on fire?"

"Not while Reiko and I are here. Her mother's firestarting is much stronger, so she outranks her among our people. Superior Saiyan power or not, she has to listen or answer to me, since I'm the head of the household." Hiroto grinned at Turles's confusion. "Althean culture is complicated, boy, and power doesn't always put you at the top of the pecking order. You'll learn in time."

Turles went back into the kitchen, expecting Rei appear at any moment and set his head on fire, but he found her sitting at the breakfast bar with her mother, pouting silently. He had to admit that the puppy-dog look was cute on her. He thanked Reiko for the mug she offered him and sipped it quietly while he stood in the doorway, giving Rei some space.

"Would you care to return for dinner?" Reiko asked, obviously taking pleasure in Rei's discomfort and sheer annoyance.

"No, he wouldn't!" Rei snapped, turning her head to glare at Turles. The look she gave him clearly stated that she'd make him miserable if he accepted the offer.

"REI! YOU ARE SO RUDE—"

"Actually," Turles interjected, "I have my own shopping to do for the day, and I need to pay my father a visit. He's courting the Althean earthmover that your daughter helped out the other day," he informed Reiko.

"Oh, and how's that going?" The older firestarter asked with interest.

"Smoothly, which is surprising. I inherited my father's ways with women, so I'm amazed to see how well he's doing." He winked at Rei then, and hid a tiny grin with his teacup when she snarled at him. He handed the empty mug to Reiko. "I'll be going, ma'am. Thank you for the tea, and I'll return tomorrow after my morning workout, to help with the chores."

"Why don't you walk him out, Rei?" Reiko asked pleasantly, "since you've been so impolite to him since he's arrived."

Swearing eloquently in Saiyan, Rei slid out of her seat and waved him towards the door. "Come

on," she snarled impatiently. Once outside, she closed the door behind him. "I don't know what you think you're doing Turles, but it isn't funny!" She yelled. "This is my family, damn it, and I while you were unbearable before, this is simply unacceptable!"

"I'm doing this because you deserve to be courted," he said flatly, repeating what Raditz had told him to say. The words were true, though; he couldn't help but like her and want to romance her just a little, even if he didn't really know how. "And I'm sorry about my previous behavior. I'm doing the chores for you to get to know you better, and to give you some free time. If you choose to spend that free time without me, that's fine. I just want you to be happy."

Damn him to the bowels of Hell, what was she supposed to say to that!?

Turles watched her eyes soften just a little, and stepped in to brush his lips against hers. "I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered huskily, "and I'm sorry that I upset you. It wasn't my intention."

Rei stepped back a little, her fingers rising up to touch her lips in surprise. "Thank you," she managed, "for being here when Grandpa fell. I appreciate that much, if nothing else." She squeaked in surprise when he pulled her to him and kissed her again, one hand on her lower back, holding her in place, the other cupping her jaw as his lips explored hers gently.

"Sorry," he breathed against her mouth, once he'd broken away. "I just had to kiss you, Rei." Turles nipped lightly at her lower lip before soothing it with the tip of his tongue. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Rei just stared at him as he took off into the sky, and couldn't seem to shake the stupor he'd left her in when she returned to the kitchen. "What?" She asked blankly, when she heard her mother's voice.

"I said, he kissed you, didn't he?" Reiko chuckled. "I remember the effect your father had on me when we were courting. Your grandpa said that I'd look completely out of it, just like you do now."

"But I don't even like him!" Rei snapped, suddenly able to think straight.

"Yes, you do. You wouldn't have felt the pull with him if you didn't like him a little."

#############

"I see that the waterwalker used the last of that salve on you."

Usagi nodded, looking up from her vanity mirror, where she was brushing out her hair. Rei was still at her mother's; she'd heard it through the grapevine that Turles had given her quite the eventful, confusing day. Hopefully those two would pairbond before Usagi left, so she wouldn't have to worry about her. "Did I get you healed up completely?" She asked smugly.

"Yes, daughter you did," King Vegeta replied, pulling a spare chair up to her vanity. "You ready, little warrior?"

Usagi smiled at the kit in his hand and nodded emphatically. She'd been waiting for her mark of the army all her life. The princess waited patiently as he quickly pulled out his needles and began, and was surprised at how light-handed the king was. She'd expected him to be gouging the hell out of her arm. "You must do this a lot more than I thought, Father. You're awfully fast." A half-hour had gone by, and he was almost done already.

"First one I've done in a while," he admitted, "but it's like learning how to fly again. You never really lose it once you've learned, and I did tattoos all the time when I was your age. Hold still, girl, I'm almost done." He motioned for her to pull her shirt up when he was finished. "Not done yet, girl. You've earned specialty ink as well."

"Oh?" Usagi smiled shyly, truly honored to be having the king doing her ink.

"You're the only healer in the Saiyan army, girl. You've also earned an inker's mark." The king thought about what he would put on her back, and grinned as an idea came to him. Very carefully, he put a pair of small angel wings on her back, making that the brand new mark of a healer, and followed up with the typical mark for an ink master. "Did you hear that the little doctor is with child?"

Usagi jumped at that and gaped at her father. "Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-huh," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Nappa's going to shit a brick when he finds out; though he shouldn't be surprised. I imagine neither of them were using any protection."

"I don't think it would have occurred to either of them to even do so," Usagi giggled. "Nappa's gonna be a daddy, that's too cute."

"Don't tell him, of course. I only happened to smell it because I was leaning over her shoulder. Let him smell it for himself, Usagi."

"Oh, I won't tell him. But I will call Ami in a little bit to harass her. Is she happy?"

Vegeta nodded. "She was very surprised at first, when I told her, but after she'd gotten over the initial shock, she had a nice little glow about her. So yes, I think she's pleased with the news." He wiped at the blood and ink on her back with a damp cloth and nodded in satisfaction. "All done, girl. Take a quick look, and then I'll put some gauze on them."

Usagi glanced at her tattoo in the mirror, beaming with pride, until her eyes lit on the dark glyph next to her squad symbol. Her squad was the Elite, of course, that was no surprise, but… "First, Father? I—the men will have a shitfit, Father. I'm a woman."

"The men will get the fuck over it, and if any of them wants to challenge you for the rank of Elite First, they'll lose. You earned it, daughter. I'll be presenting you with your sword tomorrow."

"Yes, Father," she replied softly, dipping her head in respect.

#######################

So, he'd be back in a few hours. That gave her plenty of time, right? Mako took a shower after she cleaned up the remains of supper. Hair wrapped in a towel, she stood naked in her room for a moment while she debated on what to wear. Or what not to wear.

No, she wasn't quite bold enough to lie naked in wait for him. Not yet, anyway. She smirked a little at that, and shook her head. He probably wasn't ready for that, either. She wanted to give the man a clear invitation, but she didn't want to give him a heart attack.

Oh, wait, she'd already done that!

Mako laughed a little at that thought, and finally selected the emerald green nightie that she'd washed earlier. Since she'd be waiting in the living room, she put on the matching bra and underwear, too, just in case a visitor showed up.

She dried her hair and opted to leave it down, since during the several times he'd kissed her, his hand had fisted in the chestnut curls, and he'd growled with pleasure whenever it wasn't tied back. Mako put on a touch of makeup as an afterthought; she rarely ever wore any, but this was a special occasion, after all.

Bardock stomped the wet sand from his boots outside the door, and thoughtfully removed them under the overhang so that he wouldn't track in on Mako's clean floor. Mako's floor? Bardock chuckled a little at that. Since when had he started to consider the floor hers? Alright, he had to admit, he already considered the kitchen to be hers.

And in a way, he was hers as well; though as a Saiyan, he'd never admit it.

He sighed with longing when he opened the door to find her sprawled out on the couch, fast asleep, with a book lying open on her chest. Bardock's inner Saiyan came out to say hello when he saw what she was wearing: that green nightgown that she'd worn on the night she'd shocked the hell out of him. He could even see the matching panties underneath, with the way the hemline had risen to her upper thigh. "Gods, woman. You're a vision," he whispered, as he slowly approached the couch.

Mako slowly blinked her eyes open at the sound of his voice, and blushed when she found him leaning over her, his eyes looking at her intensely. "You were gone for a while," she said sleepily. "I'll make you something to eat."

Bardock licked his lips and looked down pointedly at her revealed underwear. "Only if I can eat you, too," he purred seductively.

She blushed a little brighter, and wound up licking her own lips at the thought. "Maybe for dessert," she whispered, scrambling off the couch and into the kitchen.

He found her using her shaking to reheat something she'd pulled out of the fridge, and simply leaned against the door to watch her. Why was she acting like this? Why did she seem so damned nervous? They still had two days left, and she knew that he wouldn't force her. He just cared for her too much to even consider it.

Bardock sighed a little, just watching the way she was moving around the kitchen, purposely avoiding looking at him. Damn it, he was in love with her, wasn't he? …And was she wearing makeup? He just gaped a little at that realization; Mako never wore makeup, either because she knew she didn't need it, or because she simply preferred not to.

But sure enough, there it was. A very light application of eyeliner to accentuate her emerald eyes, a touch of blush, and just a little lipstick. Bardock grinned a little and shook his head. So, that's why she was acting so skittish. She'd been waiting up for him, likely planning on offering herself, but now she was dealing with a case of nerves.

He stuck his hand in his pocket and brushed his finger over the small box, as if to assure himself that it was still there, and prayed to the gods that his son had been right about what was in it. "Mako?"

The little thundershaker nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice, and had to clear her throat before she could finally speak. "Yes?"

"You alright?"

"Yes," she squeaked, quickly going back to putting a meal on the table for him. She couldn't do this, she just simply couldn't do this! Mako spared a quick glance at him as she turned to set a dish of food on the table, and wanted to sigh with longing.

He was just so damned perfect, and if she could only find the courage to say the words, she could have him to her heart's content. And of course, this one time when one of his attempts at seduction would be welcome, and he was staying at the kitchen door, just watching her. "Dinner's ready," she said softly, gesturing for him to sit.

Bardock didn't move, and just continued to study her carefully, smelling her hint of nerves in the air. "I got you something while I was out, Mako." Pulling the box from his pocket, he finally left the doorway and closed the gap between them. "I know that on Althea, when a man takes a mate, he gives her some sort of token. So…" He handed her the box and blushed a little, feeling awkward all of a sudden. "Sorry, I'm not good at this sort of thing."

Mako blinked in surprise; she'd been ready to do this all the Saiyan way, but he'd just met her in the middle without her even asking him to. "Bardock… you didn't have to… I was going to…" She shook her head, so touched by his gesture that she was having trouble forming words. Mako opened the box and felt her eyes fill with tears. "How—how did you…?"

"Raditz," he admitted, "but if I'd found them on my own, I would have known that they belonged on your ears and no one else's." Bardock gently took the box from her hands and fastened the enamel and gold rose studs to her ears. They were perfect on her, just as he'd known they would be.

Mako leaned into his hand when it trailed down her jawline. "On Althea, the woman also gets something for the man, but I…" She shook her head a little sadly. "I'm sorry, Bardock, I just assumed that we were doing all of this the Saiyan way." She was momentarily confused by his sudden smirk. "What?"

"I've been wearing my token for days, woman." Bardock pulled at his arm guard, revealing a hint of green cloth tucked into the hollow of it, and Mako immediately recognized the bandanna she'd bought him a week ago. He'd put it in his gauntlet the very day that he'd declared himself no longer in mourning.

That completely undid her, and she leapt into his arms to kiss him. Mako moaned softly when he returned it passionately, lifting her against his form, making her wrap her legs around his waist. She broke away for only a moment, but it was enough to make him growl at her possessively. "Bardock…?"

"What, woman?" Damn it, if she asked him to stop, he was—

"I… I want you to make love to me," she whispered.

"Gods, woman, you didn't even have to ask." Bardock's mouth came crashing down on hers again as he turned and carried her to his bedroom, placing her carefully on his bed without breaking the kiss. His hands moved with a mind of their own, slowly stripping her, smoothing over the newly exposed skin, making her arch into him and scramble desperately to remove his armor. "No," he whispered, "not yet, Mako."

"Why?" She gasped, moaning as his mouth closed over the peak of her breast. "I want you inside of me, Bardock."

"Patience, woman," he breathed over her stomach, working his mouth steadily lower. "You want me to make love to you, and I have every intention of doing so. I'll take you the Saiyan way another time."

The fact that he, a Saiyan warrior, had just said the 'L' word didn't even compute. She raised her head a little to respond, but it tipped back when she felt his tongue slipping between her folds. "Beloved," she sighed in Saiyan.

The sound of that word coming out of her mouth made his eyes roll back in ecstasy, and his fingers dug into her hips, urging her to take her pleasure. Gods, he wanted her, and he wanted her now, but he was going to be patient and take her the way she deserved to be taken the first time. Slow and gentle, that was what his Mako deserved.

"Not yet," she whimpered, as she felt herself closing in on her climax. "Come here, Bardock."

"No," he purred into her thigh, "I'll get my fill of you soon enough, woman. I want you to come for me as much as you can… I want you hot and wet when I claim you."

Gods, when he put it like _that_, she wasn't going to argue. "Okay," she managed weakly, not sure what else she could say. And then he was taking her up again, his tongue slow and thorough as it made love to her, and just as she was about to shatter, he stopped. "Bardock?" Mako heard him shush her just before she felt his tail slide into her, and her head went back again in ecstasy. "Dear gods," she whimpered, when his tongue joined in once more, while his tail slowly thrust into her.

Mako tried to protest about not wanting to hurt his tail, but Bardock only responded by purring into her heat and lifting her bottom as he devoured her. And then she tightened and cried out loudly, all thought of his tail getting squeezed too hard flying right out of her head.

Bardock kept his tail moving inside of her even as she began to relax against him, while he slid back up her trembling form to take a nipple in his mouth. "Come for me again, Mako."

She nodded gently as she began to unstrap his armor, moaning as his tail began to take her up once more. Her fingers clutched at his bare back the moment his torso was bare, and she cried out his name as she came again. "Please," she begged, "please Bardock, I need you."

"One more time, beloved. Then I'll make you mine," he promised, raking his teeth over her shoulder as he continued to flex his tail.

"Gods, yes," she moaned, lacing her fingers in his hair to pull his mouth down. "Do it, beloved. Please do it." Bardock couldn't deny her anything at that point, and she felt a flash of sharp pain, followed by a wave of pure pleasure as he bit down and ran his tongue over the mark.

Mako was clutching at him again, her cry of pleasure loudly heralding her climax, and Bardock froze when he felt the earth tremble a little bit. Well, that gave a completely new meaning to "earth shaking orgasm."

"Sorry," she whimpered, pulling at his fatigues, desperate to feel him inside of her, "strong emotion sets it off."

"Emotion?" Bardock asked curiously, nibbling at her throat as she slid his pants over his hips.

"I love you," she whispered, so softly that he may not have heard it if not for his superior hearing. Mako bit down fiercely on his shoulder before he could respond, rocking her hips in a blunt invitation.

Bardock kicked off his fatigues before pressing against her entrance, and moaned softly as he pushed his girth into her. She felt even better than she had in his wildest dreams; even the way she'd felt around his tail hadn't done her justice. "You're mine, Mako."

"I'm yours, Bardock." She moved against him in surrender when she felt him pressing against her barrier, but when he didn't press forward, she bit down on his shoulder once more, swamping him with pleasure.

He felt her clutch at him tightly, and the wave of pain coming through their bond as he took her virginity and pushed forward, stretching and filling her. "It only hurts for a moment, beloved," he purred against her throat. Bardock moved his tail between them and gently began to stroke her while he ran his lips over every inch of exposed skin that he could reach. He moaned a little when he felt her flex around him. "You feel so good, beloved. I can't wait to make you come with me inside of you."

Mako whimpered in a mixture of pain and pleasure when he moved. Gods, if he hadn't prepared her as well as he had, she'd probably be splitting in two. As she felt him try to stop, she dug her nails into his lower back and moved against him. "Don't stop," she whispered, "I want all of you, Bardock. I love you."

He nodded, unable to speak through the haze of lust sweeping him as the beast began to take over. Bardock barely managed to check his thrusts, keeping his movements slow and gentle, despite the driving need to claim her hard and fast. "Come for me, Mako," he moaned helplessly, "please come for me."

A tidal wave of pleasure overwhelmed her when he bit down harder on her mark than the first time, and she moaned in ecstasy, urging him with her body to move harder. "You feel so good," she whispered in wonder. "Yes… right there…" Mako's head tipped back and she moaned as she began to tremble beneath him, tightening as she climaxed so hard that the earth shook again.

"That's it, beloved." Bardock growled and moved a little faster, a little harder, as he relished how tight she'd become. He'd fantasized about this, even briefly right after he'd first met her, despite his being in mourning. Gods, and she was his… she was finally all his. "My Mako," he whispered, closing in on his own peak as he felt another earthquake shake his home. "My beloved."

"Bardock," she groaned, trying her hardest to control her earthmoving as another light quake shook the house. She lost it when he slammed into her suddenly, crying out, and a crash came from the kitchen as the earth trembled right along with her. "Please come for me," she begged, "before the king comes banging on the door."

Bardock's inner beast chuckled at that, since it knew she was right, and he finally let go, growling her name as he thrust into her relentlessly and another crash came from outside the bedroom.

The expected pounding came while they were still basking in the afterglow, kissing tenderly as their hands slowly explored each other's bodies. They both ignored it for a few moments while they simply enjoyed the feeling of being joined, body, mind, and heart… until the pounding was right at their bedroom door.

"Fuck off," Mako chuckled.

"Woman, you'd better have a damned good reason for all that moving!" King Vegeta snapped. Cheesecake be damned, he was going to beat that woman to within an inch of her life if she didn't come up with a good excuse, and fast.

"Hey, you _ordered_ us to do this, so we can hardly be held responsible for the results!" She laughed, reddening in a mixture of embarrassment and mirth. Mako jerked Bardock back to her when he tried to separate from her. "I don't think so, monkey man."

"Oh." That was all Vegeta could managed, and he swallowed hard. "Is this typical of an earthmover?" he finally asked, surveying the damage inside Bardock's home. It wasn't anything that couldn't be righted with thirty minutes of cleaning, thank the gods, but it had scared the hell out of Bardock's neighbors.

Mako blushed and mumbled something in Althean, which made Bardock laugh. "She says only the first few times, Majesty. I knew that newlywed earthmovers would go somewhere secluded before consummating the bond. I'd thought it was just a quaint Althean custom, but now I know why," he snickered, nipping at her mark.

"Hey, I would have told you if you'd asked!" She huffed, smacking his chest lightly.

Knowing all too well that they were both naked in there and fooling around again, King Vegeta had the courtesy to blush. "Pack your things immediately and go to my winter retreat. It's made of stone, so it should withstand anything you can dish out, woman. Go now, please, before you move the entire block into the ground."

He rolled his eyes when a few hushed whispers in Althean, followed by a giggle, came from Bardock's bedroom. Gods, they were like a couple of infatuated brats, he thought with a light chuckle, remembering the way that he and Toma had been that first night. He smiled fondly at the memory; besides Vegeta's mother, Toma was the only woman that had ever seen that carefree side of him.

He blinked when the door opened and a blushing, smiling Mako leaned against the frame. "If you think that's bad, you should have seen the storm on Althea when Ami got her cherry popped. And it was windier than normal on the day Minako lost hers."

"Gods, what's going to happen when my daughter's handmaiden…" Vegeta shook his head, suddenly feeling a wave of pure sympathy for Turles.

Bardock chuckled as he came up behind his mate and nipped at her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her and the sheet she was wrapped in. "We'd better warn my brat, I take it."

"Nah, Rei's got very good control over her gift. Most firestarters do. Same with earthmovers." Mako held up her hand when King Vegeta glared at her and opened his mouth. "That _was_ controlled, Majesty. My cousin Ruka wasn't as strong as I am, and she brought down a mountain her first time. Then again, her primary gift was windtalking," she added a little sadly.

"Not to engage you in a serious conversation while you're in—" Vegeta waved lightly at the sheet covering her. "—a state of undress, but a thought occurred to me about your people this morning, while I was eating that delicious confection of yours."

Mako nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"Would it be possible, however unlikely it is, that your people got wished back, right along with the rest of us? And perhaps they hid when they knew Saiyans were inbound?"

Mako simply stared at him blankly, long enough to worry both him and her mate. Finally, she swallowed. "Give me a minute to dress."

"Mako?" Bardock asked softly, as he pulled on his fatigues and she put her nightgown and undergarments back on.

"I'm alright," she said shakily. She managed to give him a watery smile. "Sorry to spoil the honeymoon."

"It's not spoiled, woman, it's just on hold for an hour or so. When we get to the royal retreat, I'm going to claim you in full Saiyan fashion. Well, if you can handle it, I will," he amended with a grin.

"I hope the house can handle it."

#########################

Nappa crept down into The Hole silently, making sure to float over the creaky step that always gave him away. He was late getting in from guard detail, and sensing through their bond that Ami was fast asleep, he didn't want to wake her. In his opinion, she didn't get enough damned sleep anyway, but he could only make her change so many of her less healthy habits all at once.

He'd been working on changing her sleeping routine for the last few days, and whenever she refused to go to bed, he'd simply seduce her into it and claim her until she was too exhausted to argue with him. That always put a smile on _both _of their faces.

Getting her to eat more was becoming a problem, though. She was so tiny, so of course she didn't eat as much as a Saiyan. But she skipped breakfast all the time, and sometimes even lunch, and that bothered him. She was his mate, damn it, and she would eventually bear his children. The woman needed to get in the habit of eating more, or she would be overwhelmed when his seed finally took.

Nappa stripped his armor and his spandex silently before sliding into bed with Ami. He grinned when he found her naked, and pulled her to him, easily tucking her smaller form against his side. He breathed in her scent and sighed happily. She smelled so damned good; there was always something about—something strange hit his nose, and he bent his head to her throat to sniff again.

His eyes went wide as the change in his mate's scent processed through his brain, and he immediately cast out for the third ki that he knew would be in the bed with them. Pulling back the covers, his fingers stroked Ami's flat stomach in wonder.

There was a brat in there. _His_ brat. Nappa had never dreamed of even being a father until he'd first seen the blue-haired figure out on that balcony, so the thought was just a little staggering.

Ami moaned a little and opened her eyes when she felt a pair of familiar lips caressing the pale flesh of her belly. "His Majesty warned me that you'd smell her when you got back," she chuckled. "I see he was right."

"Why didn't you call me?" Nappa asked, unable to hide the hurt from his voice.

"I wanted to tell you in person, love," she whispered tenderly. "It's not the sort of thing you tell your husband over a communicator. At least not on my world. So… you're happy?" Ami asked shyly.

The little doctor had wondered about that for hours; they'd only just pairbonded, and she was already pregnant. The king had assured her that any Saiyan male would be pleased, but Ami wanted to hear it from Nappa's own mouth.

"Blue, you're carrying my brat. Of course I'm happy," he replied gently, raking his lips over her bellybutton. "It's a girl brat, then? You said 'she.'"

This was what she had worried about the most. "I know that boys are preferred," she whispered. "We can try for a boy in seven months if you like, since being Althean, I'll only carry for about five."

"Blue," Nappa rumbled softly, leaning up to nip at her jawline, "it's a little you in there. I'm happy. Girl brat or no, her father will still train her as a warrior, and she'll have both your brains, and my brawn. She'll be perfect. Just like you."

Ami smiled at him through a sheen of tears. "No, beloved, I think you're the one that's perfect. At least today." She licked her lips before finally saying the words she'd been wanting to say since he'd claimed her. "I know that Saiyans don't say it, but… I love you, Nappa."

He kissed her passionately at that, grabbing her gently by the hips so she was straddling him. "Beloved," he whispered finally, holding her tightly in his arms, her head resting on his chest. "My Ami."

"Yours, Nappa." Ami chuckled when he purred lightly, making his whole body vibrate a little. "Any Saiyan names you can think of?"

Nappa grunted and shook his head. "Women name the girl brats. The men name the boy brats. It's tradition. Would you give her a Saiyan name, then?" He asked in surprise.

"Cicely." She looked askance at him, not sure if he would even like the name.

He sighed in wonder, not sure why the gods had deigned to gift him with such a wonderful woman, even if she was the tiniest thing he'd ever seen. "Cicely is a perfect name for a girl Saiyan." His large hand smoothed up and down her bare back as he nipped at her mark. "I want to take you right now, so badly, Blue. Five months can't go by fast enough."

Ami snorted at that and laughed. "We can still have sex, Nappa, we just have to be careful." She grinned when he gave her a doubtful look. "Who's the doctor in this bed, Nappa? I am. As long as you're not hurting me, you're not hurting her. I promise."

He growled a little bit at that and shook his head. "I hurt you half the time anyway, Ami." His hands slid her up so he could kiss her, while he stroked his fingers up and down the backs of her thighs.

Ami broke away and sat up a little. "Well then, we'll just have to make sure that I'm very, very, _very_…" She bent down to his ear and nibbled on it. "…wet. Unless you're not up to the challenge, that is," she whispered seductively.

"Gods, woman, you're too much," he groaned, already sliding his tail between her legs. Nappa could never deny her anything, least of all any physical pleasure that he could give her.

She moaned softly as he rolled them onto their sides and kissed her; he was really becoming a pro at that, and never failed to give her goosebumps whenever he ran his tongue along the crease of her mouth. Her eyes went back when his fingers joined his tail in giving her pleasure, and she raked her nails lightly over his length when she felt herself closing in on her peak.

Nappa chuckled when she came, moaning into his mouth, and immediately tried to roll on top of him to take him inside of her. "Not yet, Blue," he growled happily. "I don't think you're wet enough."

"Heh, I think I am, my love. You care to test it out?"

Nappa slipped his fingers into her and shook his head. "You said 'very, very, very wet.' You're only very wet, Blue. Now, I'm not a very smart man, but it stands to reason that one orgasm equals one 'very.' Therefore, you need two more before I give in to your womanly wiles."

Ami's jaw dropped at that little speech, and once she could close it again, she just shook her head. "You really make me wonder sometimes, you know that?"

"Wonder what, Blue?" Nappa nipped at her shoulder and rolled her onto her back, and lay down on his side next to her as he slid his tail inside of her. "I've wanted to try this for a few days, you know."

"That's very…" Ami's eyes went wide as his tail went stiff, fluffed out, and filled her slowly. "Oh my…"

"That's what I thought. So… what did you wonder, Blue?"

"Mmm… I wonder… oh gods, Nappa, that feels so good… I wonder just how smart you really are, and how… gods, are you turning that thing, _too_?"

Grinning, Nappa nodded. "I can do lots of things with it, woman." He wiggled the end of it inside of her, back and forth, and laughed when she squealed in surprise. "So, you were saying? 'And how…'"

"And how… gods, that tickles, Nappa!" She reached out between her legs and stroked the exposed part of his tail with her fingernails, making him jump. "Payback's a bitch, beloved."

"Don't start a tickle fight with me, Blue," he purred in her ear, "you will lose. Very badly." He breathed in sharply when her nails raked over both of his sides, perpendicular to his abs. "Blue, you're playing a dangerous game, now."

Ami half-giggled, half-moaned, when he pinned her arms back and did something completely delicious with his tail at the same time, and then took one of her nipples in his mouth. "Mmm… I love you, Nappa."

_I will never tire of hearing those words, Blue, _He rasped in her mind, while showing her through the bond just how deep his feelings for her ran. _Forgive me for never being able to say it, Ami._

_I know you love me, _she whispered. _You show me in everything that you do, beloved. That's even better than saying it. _

Nappa lifted his head to look into her dark blue eyes, and found them shining with love for him. "Let me show you just how much, Blue," he whispered seriously, sliding up to nip at her lower lip before seeking entry with his tongue. His tail really went to work, then, rubbing against all of the spots that he knew drove her wild, and he moaned right along with her when a wave of pleasure shot through his tail and up his back as she tightened around it. "Still only very, very wet, Blue. Come for me again and I'll make you mine."

"I'm already yours," she sighed happily, before biting down on his mark just hard enough to open it. "Make love to me, Nappa. Please, I want you inside me."

Nappa withdrew his tail and moaned helplessly when she took it in her hand and delicately licked the juices from it. "Gods woman, you're gonna give me heart failure." When she lifted her hips, he shook his head. "Not while you're doing that, Blue, I'll lose control and take you hard if you keep doing that."

"Oh," she whispered, blushing in embarrassment. "Sorry, love." Ami released his tail, and gasped when it wrapped around her thigh and drug her under him, before moving to her waist and lifting her tightly against his massive body. And then she was whispering his name with desire as she felt him filling her so slowly that it was almost agonizing. "Nappa," she sighed, "you feel so wonderful."

"If it hurts you, Blue, even a little bit, tell me. I couldn't bear the thought of harming the brat."

Ami nodded and smiled. "You won't hurt me, Nappa. You're not capable of it."

"You sure about that, Blue?"

"Yes, I am. Because you love me."

Nappa snorted at the sound of that word, a typical Saiyan reaction to hearing it. "I have to admit, Blue, you've got me dead to rights on that one."

**Selene: Damn right, he's been good as gold. Bardock and Mako are definitely my fave pairing so far in this story, I think they have some of the most depth out of all the pairings. And yes, Turles is playing nice, now. I hope you enjoyed seeing him being Mr. Nice Guy!**

**Ana: As always, you're fucking awesome.**

**Crispywheat: Great to see a new reader, and thank you for reviewing, I ALWAYS appreciate reviews!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ok, one of the reviews I got hit a nerve, so I'm going to address that first. Well, not so much hit a nerve, as made me go, "ooook?" So, Sesshy, I wish to God you hadn't reviewed anonymously, because then I would have just PM'd you. But to answer you about how this is "dragging out," I posted a note at the very beginning of this fic, about how… in fact, I'll copy and paste it right quick. **

_**Also, this is a VERY long story! So if you're looking for some romantic resolution in the first couple of chapters, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE! But I promise you, the ride will well be worth it, so jump on the short bus with me if you're feeling brave!**_

**There you have it, my dear. Sorry if this disappoints you, I'm sure you're just a huge Vegeta fangirl and meant no offense, but I did post fair warning on chapter one. Hopefully it'll be some consolation to know that Vegeta and Usagi will finally meet face to face in the next chapter after this one. Don't worry, be patient, it's coming.**

**Selene A: Don't worry, just because we're headed to earth in this next chapter doesn't mean I won't be doing flashbacks to Vegeta-sai. Grandpa's so fresh. :D**

**Ana: I hope you liked the Turles and Raditz moments in this chapter, I know you're starting to turn into a fangirl for the house of Bardock. **

**RoF: Girl, you're fine, I'm just glad you drop me a line every other chapter or so. At least you ARE reviewing, unlike hundreds of others… *grumblegrumble* **

**Deva: You'll find out about Ami and Nappa some in the next chapter! And let me make it clear, Vegeta and Bulma are friends, that's it. Just friends, lol. Trunks is a whole different matter. Go make yourself a account and sign in and private message me, girl. Then we can talk more candidly about things I won't reveal. Or email me at the DOT megakat AT gmail DOT com, okay? **

**Krissy: Same to you, you can email me if you don't wanna make an account, if you have questions. One more chapter, honey!**

**Selene088: mmfcl! Woo woo! I know all about some work, so don't feel bad. Hell, I'm fighting a URI right now that's trying to turn into pneumonia. Like I've said, one more chapter!**

**Chibi: Part of your answer comes in this chapter, honey! Read on!**

**GOD, that was a lot of reviews! Thank yall, I very much appreciate it! I was reading them all yesterday while I was fighting to breathe and contemplating going to the hospital, but I was stubborn and stayed home. So thank you again, and please keep reviewing! See how fast I got this next chapter up!? Huh? Huh!? Reviews get me motivated!**

He was back again. Gods, this was some sort of record, twice in one week! Even when she'd been a teenager, he'd never come to her so often. Usagi smiled at him gently when his eyes locked with hers and she felt the age-old pull in her gut. As she expected, he was tugging her into his arms and kissing her passionately, but when she thought he was going to throw her down and take her, he was dragging her up against him and his hands were wandering her slowly, just like the other night.

And for pretty much the first time ever, she spoke. "Why aren't you…?" She shook her head, unable to finish the sentence.

His reply came in a whisper. "Because I love you."

Wait, he'd said love? "So… you're _not_ Saiyan."

"I am," Vegeta breathed against her ear, trying his best to control his heart, which was practically coming out of his chest. "And I'm real. I do exist, but you have to find me. Now…" He kissed her gently, stroking her hair back from her face. "…shut up. Dreams are short, and I need you."

"Ok," she replied, just loud enough for him to hear her. "I need you, too. Would you…" Usagi blushed at the fact that she was actually asking for this out loud. "…make love to me again?"

"You didn't even have to ask, woman." His mouth slanted over hers, and he purred with pleasure when her hands slowly explored him as they both stripped each other of every stitch of clothing.

She moaned as his mouth found her breast and his hand began to wander lower, intent on bringing her to climax as many times as he had the other night. "I love you," she gasped, as she arched against him and came.

"Gods, woman, I'll never get tired of hearing that," he whispered hoarsely. The green-eyed warrior was scooping her into his arms then, and placing her on the bed where he'd taken her countless times in her sleep. Only this time, for him, it was really and truly happening, and Vegeta was all too aware of it. He really was making love to Usagi, even if she didn't know that it was _him_, specifically.

And he was just fine with that, she would know who he was eventually. Usagi wasn't stupid, and if Bulma had figured it out, it was only a matter of time once Usagi got to Earth, saw Kakarot in his ascended state, and in turn learned about Vegeta's own quest, she would wind up putting two and two together. Until then, he'd savor these real dreams, touching and tasting her, making her tremble beneath him until they were both completely spent.

He'd take the time to learn her body, to discover what pleased her, and when he finally claimed her for real, it would be better than anything she could ever imagine.

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Raditz sighed with longing as he gazed at the two women curled up with each other in the large king sized bed, and rolled his eyes. This was torture. Simple as that. Just sheer torture. "The least you two could do is wake up and have a make out session," he chuckled. He'd have to remember to taunt Turles about that later on; the two women he'd courted were both cuddling each other and dressed in those infuriatingly thin Saiyan nightgowns. Hell, he could see everything through those things!

Sheer. Torture.

"Wake up, women," he grumbled, unable to tear his eyes from them when Usagi mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like… "Damn girl, I wish I had mind-blowing dreams about mating almost every damned night."

Usagi swatted at him half-heartedly when he shook her. She had started to nuzzle her face into Rei's chest, and he was pretty sure that the handmaiden would set her on fire for that, princess or not. "Usa, if you want someone to make out with, I'm more than willing to fill the bill," he whispered in her ear, nibbling at the lobe.

The princess shot straight up then, blinked her eyes open, and stared at him in confusion when he laughed his ass off at her reaction. "What!?" She yelled, "I was having the most amazing dream, and you just cockblocked me, Radu!"

Ok, he hadn't exactly cockblocked her, since her and her green-eyed warrior had already gone at it about four or five times, but they'd been starting another round right when she'd felt herself yanked out of sleep.

"It's too early for you two to be arguing," Rei growled, using her tail to yank Usagi back down into the bed. "Shut the fuck up and go back to sleep."

"No," the blonde groaned, "we've got the thingy in the ring today."

"The thingy?" Raditz chuckled, pulling on some pants.

"Ceremony thingy," she mumbled, dozing back off.

"Oh, shit, that's right," Rei sighed, letting Usagi tuck herself tightly against her chest when she shivered. "What time is the ceremony?"

"Bou… ten?" Usagi yawned. "Timeisit?"

"Eight," Raditz snorted, knowing exactly what reaction he was about to get, and accordingly moved out of the way when the princess shot out of the bed and looked around for the clock.

"Oh shit!" Usagi swore, once she'd confirmed the time. Unconcerned with Raditz seeing her, she stripped off her nightgown and grabbed a towel before darting into the bathroom.

Usagi's nightguard just stared at her perfection, his jaw a little slack at the sight of her flawless body.

"If I didn't know any better, Raditz, I'd say you planned that, you dog," Rei chuckled from the bed, stretching languidly as she awaited her turn in the shower. "You get a good look?"

Raditz nodded numbly, consciously willing his nose not to start bleeding. Gods, those tits were perfect, and while he'd seen them before in the public showers, and thinly veiled by her nighties… he sighed and plopped down on the edge of the bed. "She's the only person on Vegeta-sai that doesn't know, isn't she?"

"Yup," Rei replied tartly, but she wasn't without sympathy for him. "Maybe… I don't know, when you're both off-world and it's just the two of you?"

"No. Vegeta, he's going to want a shot, and I kind of owe him that shot. He's been in love with her since they were brats. He's never admitted it, of course, but that boy's always had it bad for Usa."

"And you?" Rei asked curiously, sitting up and patting his bare back gently. "I've seen the way you look at her."

"Yeah," he admitted thickly, "but nothing like the crown prince, trust me. Even during our time with Frieza, after Vegeta had gone completely cold, anytime Nappa and I mentioned Usagi, we'd catch a glimpse of the old Vegeta. After everything Frieza had done to him, all the humiliation and horrors, he never stopped loving her. So I owe him a shot."

"Gods, Raditz, I don't know whether to give you a hug… or slap you for being retarded," Rei snorted. "I say take your chances, and if it's meant to be, you'll get her. If not, the prince will." When the guard hung his head, Rei gave him a brief hug from behind before slipping out of bed and yanking off her gown. Poor Raditz had it so hard, the least she could do was to let him see a pair of nice tits. "Not a chance," she said with a grin, when like any man in the universe, his attention turned and he was staring at her chest.

"Doesn't mean I can't look," he replied with a chuckle. "Now I can tell my brother what a nice rack you have, and how I got to see it first," he added pleasantly. "Great ass, too, woman."

"Why, thank you!"

"Whatever happened to Turles liking demure, brainy women?" Usagi's voice asked from the doorway.

Raditz turned his head, grateful to see her dressed in the clothes that Rei had laid out for her in the bathroom the night before. "The pull works in mysterious ways, Usa," he replied with a shrug. His eyes immediately went back to Rei, who had pulled on her spandex, but was still topless while she fiddled with her armor. "I have to admit, I'm a tad envious of my brother.

"Alright, enough of this, before I wind up with a boner that no one's going to help me with," he said quickly, getting up from the bed to throw on a tank top. He smacked Rei's ass playfully as he passed her and grinned when she laughed at him. "You're such a cocktease, woman."

"I know," she replied pleasantly.

"Poor Turles," Usagi chuckled.

######################

Turles blinked and looked at Rei with delight when she opened the door to him… until he noticed the telltale fire in her eyes that always meant that she was livid. "And here I thought we'd parted on good terms yesterday," he sighed.

"We don't need your fucking charity, Turles."

If the venom in her words had actually been real, Turles would have been dead. "It's my duty to help take care of you and your family. It's not charity, Rei." She'd found the money for the medicine tucked in with the rest of the groceries, that had to be it.

"Bullshit, you're only doing it to try and get into my pants," she snapped, moving to slam the door in his face. Flames leapt into her hands when he shoved his foot in the way and swung it open again.

"Rei, I've been trying to get into your fatigues for a week, I'm sorry if you missed the previous hints, I thought I'd been pretty blunt," he answered sardonically. "But the medicine has nothing to do with that. I care about you, and that means that I care about your family as well, even if I just met them. So do me a favor, woman? Get the fuck over yourself for five minutes, and just accept that the medicine has nothing to do with _you_ personally. It's for your grandfather, and I'll continue to pay for it."

"Like hell you will!" She raged, trying once more to slam the door in his face, and failing miserably. She growled and struggled like a feral cat when he jerked her outside and pinned her to the wall.

"I've already instructed every chemist in the city to refuse payment from you or Reiko, and to charge me directly for the order. And you'd do well to quit all that squirming unless you're willing to put out," he added with a growl.

"Let. Me. Go." Rei glared at him furiously when he only kept her pinned between his hard body and the equally firm wall behind her, and snarled when he nipped at her lower lip. "Try that again and I'll bite," she warned.

"Mmm… promises, promises," he purred, his mood shifting as she began to struggle again, rubbing against him. Turles dipped his head into the hollow of her throat and began to nip and lick and kiss a fiery trail up the column of her neck, noting that her struggles were getting weaker with every brush of his mouth. "I think you might like that a little, Pyro."

Rei couldn't bring herself to bite him when his mouth pressed against hers, and found herself opening to him as his tongue sought entry and began to explore her mouth lazily, while her own tongue stroked over his hesitantly. Gods, was that her moaning, or was she hearing things?

Turles chuckled as he pulled away. "I have to admit, Pyro, if that's what I get every time you feel like ranting at me, by all means, rant away."

Coming back to her senses, she punched him in the shoulder when he released her arms. "This isn't over, asshole!" She shouted, stalking back inside. "Your errand bitch is here, Mother," Rei yelled. She spun around and glared at Turles when she reached her bedroom door and found him still following her. "You're not coming in here."

"As long as I'm coming, preferably in you, I don't care what room I'm in," he answered smoothly, trying to peek around her when she cracked open the door.

"Pervert. Get away from me. Go help Mother, since she seems to like you so damned much."

Turles gave her a jaunty, sarcastic salute, and could have sworn that she smirked just a little when he said "yes, ma'am!"

But then again, she could just be smiling at the thought of shoving her standard issues six inches into his ass, so he scurried to the kitchen as quickly as he could without seeming a coward. "So, why's Rei home so early?"

Reiko didn't look up from the bread dough she was kneading, but she smiled at the sound of his voice. "Something to do with the princess. She needs to be in the ring in an hour, dressed in formal wear. All of the Elite are supposed to be there." She smirked a little when she heard him curse creatively. "I take it you never check your scouter for messages?"

"Not yesterday or today," he admitted, digging it out of his pocket, unfolding it, and putting it on. Sure enough, there were messages from Raditz, Nappa, Bardock, and even Broly. Raditz's and Bardock's messages were merely informing him that he was required, as one of the Elite, to be present at the ring that morning at ten. Nappa's message was asking him why in the hell he wasn't responding to anyone's messages, and Broly's message clearly showed the other warrior's dislike for Turles; he was ordering Turles to be present that day, and promised an ass-kicking that would put him in the tank for a month if he did anything to ruin the princess's day. "Such a happy man," Turles snorted.

He called his father first. "I'll be there," he said simply, when Bardock appeared on the screen. However, Turles lifted a questioning eyebrow when he noticed that the house Bardock was in was unfamiliar to him. "Where are you?"

"About forty-five minutes out. We're leaving in a minute." Mako's voice was in the background, now giggling something about Bardock keeping his hands to himself or they'd wind up late.

Turles cracked a smile at that, despite his urge to gag. "Well, good for you, Father. I take it those tremors last night…?" He grinned and shook his head when Bardock blushed a little. "Gross, but good for you. Let me call Raditz." He signed off then and called his brother.

Raditz grinned the moment he saw his baby brother. "So, I'll bet you'll never guess what Father was doing last night? Well, _who _would be more accurate."

"Gods, Radu, shut. Up."

"Is Hurley Turley gonna throw up?"

"I'll save it up until I see you, and puke on your shoes, asshole. I only called to tell you to expect me at the ring. I'd call Broly, too, but judging from his message he hates my guts."

"Don't call Nappa, either, he's in The Hole with his mate. She's pregnant, you know." Raditz grinned. "He's ecstatic."

"You're just the queen of gossip, aren't you, Radu?" Turles teased.

"Call me what you will, baby brother, but this gossip queen also saw your mate naked this morning, and she is _spectacular_."

"Lucky bastard."

"I also get to watch her snuggling with the princess every morning, too, you know. And since you can pretty much see through those nightgowns…" Raditz shook his head. "I tell you, brother, the spank bank is full. All I have to do is imagine them kissing, and I'm good to go."

"I really fucking hate you sometimes, you know that, Radu?"

Raditz closed his eyes for a moment before a little grin graced his lips. "Gods, the tits on Rei, you should have seen them, Turley… and that ass… you could have bounced half a credit off of that ass, and—"

"Shut. Up."

"Aw, you're never any fun, Turley." Raditz snickered and shook his head in amusement.

"Wait, so you didn't actually see her…?"

"Oh, I saw her," Raditz chuckled. "Gorgeous, suckable tits, luscious, heart-shaped ass, and those legs… gods, I'll bet you'd have fantasies about having those legs wrapped around your shoulders, boy."

"More like my waist."

"But where's the fun in that? You wanna make her beg for it first, Turley. That's the good part!"

"Whatever you say," he grunted. "Let me go ahead and let you go, brother, I need to be heading back to my house to change." He put his scouter away and popped his neck idly. Anymore of that type of conversation, and he'd wind up saying something in front of Reiko that would get him in trouble. He'd been extra careful not to say anything that would indicate that he'd been talking about her daughter. "You need me to get anything for you while I'm out?" Turles asked Reiko.

"Nah, I think I'm good. But you could accompany Rei for me, since she'll likely be late if she has to face a challenger on her way there." She winked at him, knowing that he could use all the help he could get, and knew that her daughter had heard her by the cussing coming from the foyer. Apparently Rei had been trying to leave without him.

"Thank you, Reiko," Turles said quickly, moving in a flash to open the door for his future mate. "You look gorgeous."

"I know I do," she huffed, "I always look gorgeous in my formal armor."

"Always so modest, too," he teased, shooting into the air. He kept his pace slow so she could keep up with him, and they were there in a couple minutes, since he lived in the same sector of the city. Turles ushered her into his home before retreating to his bedroom and shedding his every day wear.

He'd showered that morning, so he simply tugged on his spandex and armor before walking out, fiddling with his armguards. "Would you mind?" He asked, holding out his arms.

Rei rolled her eyes, knowing damned well that this was just a ploy to get her to touch him, but fastened his gauntlets anyway, then knelt and did the same to his greaves. "What?" She asked, when she stood and he just stared at her.

"Well? How do I look?"

There was a kicked puppy look in his eyes when she opened her mouth to make a biting remark, so she closed it immediately, looked him up and down, and nodded. "You look good," she admitted, as if it was killing her to do so.

Time was running short, so they sped off towards the palace, Turles keeping pace with his future mate so as not to leave her behind. Then a streak of ki shot between them, and Rei was plunging towards the ground, clearly struggling with someone. "Son of a bitch," he snarled, as he rocketed towards the earth, where he found his mate struggling against a young warrior who had a firm grip on her tail. "Let her go."

"Like hell I will. I've been after this little firestarter for months, so fuck off, Turles. I saw her first."

A ki ball formed in Turles's hand, and he snarled, the Saiyan rising up in him, when the other warrior squeezed Rei's tail, making her cry out sharply. "Let her go, or I vaporize you, boy."

"You'll vaporize me if I do," he snorted, "so I think I'll just hang on. You wouldn't risk blowing her up, too." The younger warrior squeezed her tail again to prove a point, and Rei screamed in pain, unable to do much else.

Turles made eye contact with Rei, trying to hint to her his next move, and hoped that she understood that she was about to get hurt a little bit. Then she mouthed the words 'do it,' and he nodded, releasing the small ki blast in his hand directly at the other warrior's chest.

Rei and the little bastard went flying onto the pavement, but the firestarter was alright for the most part, despite still having a loose hand wrapped around her tail. She extracted it quickly and scrambled behind Turles, not even caring if that motion made her seem weak and dependent. She'd just been scared shitless, and she wasn't afraid to admit it right then.

Turles grinned ferally when the warrior stirred. "Now, I seemed to have reached an impasse with myself," he said casually, forming another ki blast in his palm. I could let you live, and serve as a lesson for those that would try to take what's mine… or I could send you to Hell for hurting my mate. I think I'll make this Rei's decision. What do you say, Pyro?"

"Fry his ass," she growled.

No sooner had she said the words, Turles had unleashed his finisher, killing the warrior so messily that no one would dispute who'd done it. He'd always had a reputation for leaving behind a huge clean-up. He was on his knees in the next instant, checking her over carefully, shoving her hands away from him when she tried to push him away. "Hold _still_, woman," he snapped.

Rei froze when he snarled at her, his eyes dark with impending violence. His beast had full control at the moment, and Turles couldn't be held responsible for anything he did during that time. Rei knew that as far as he was concerned, someone had just attacked his mate, and his mate was hurt. So out of self-preservation, she pulled him to her and let him smell her hair. Rei also didn't bother to fight him when he kissed her lazily, even though part of her wanted to. "I'm fine," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "Calm down, you did good, honey. You protected me, Turles, you did good."

Turles looked to his vanquished foe and nodded. "He shouldn't have touched what's mine," he growled.

"I know," Rei sighed patiently. "Come on, Turles, we're going to be late. I'm Usagi's handmaiden, I can't be late." She rolled her eyes and huffed when he carefully plucked up her tail and examined it.

"The dumbass should have had the sense to _rub_ your tail, not squeeze it," he grumbled, fluffing his fingers through the fur to find finger-shaped bruises near the base. Turles heard her give a tiny moan at the sensation of him petting her tail, and grinned at her. "So, I found something you like."

"Turles," she whispered breathily, "please stop, please don't—" Rei's head tipped back and she groaned loudly, shaking as he began petting her tail from base to tip. "Please stop," she whimpered. "Please."

He chuckled, his eyes glittering with a mix of humor and the beast inside, and he let go of her tail after kissing it lightly. "Whatever you say, woman. You hurt anywhere else?"

"Nothing I haven't had before," she panted, trying to get a handle on her libido. Rei gave him the stinkeye; right then she wanted to jump him and fuck his brains out, despite the fact that she was a virgin. "I'm going to kill you for that."

"Looking forward to it." He helped her to her feet, and looked her over once more. "Are you sure you're not hurt?" He asked in concern.

Sighing yet again, she nodded. "I'm fine. Can we go now?" Rei squealed in surprise when he scooped her up and took off into the air, carrying her this time. "I can fly myself!" She yelled.

"My ass," he growled. "No one's going to try and take you as long as I'm hanging on to you. At least, I'd like to see them try."

Usagi snorted at the sight of them touching down, Rei looking resigned to her position in his arms, even if she seemed annoyed with it. "Everything ok, you two?"

"Just _wonderful_," Rei snapped, punching Turles in the arm when he didn't immediately put her down. "I can stand, you know."

Turles turned his head, making eye contact with each and every male in the ring. "She's _mine_. Touch her and die."

"Someone try and claim her?" Usagi asked in concern.

"Yes," Turles said sharply, setting Rei down in front of the princess. "Heal her, Highness."

"I'm fine!" Rei yelled, not at all amused by the warriors laughing at them. "You're embarrassing me, Turles," she hissed at him. "I'm a fucking warrior, not some weak little housewife that needs to be coddled!"

Turles snarled at her, his Saiyan fully taking over yet again. "You will hold still and let the princess heal you woman, or I'm taking you home right now and claiming you!"

"Like hell you will," she growled right back, her hands catching fire as she began to lose her temper.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Usagi shouted, stepping between the two of them. "Turles, you would do well to remember that Rei is my handmaiden, and is under my protection if your advances are unwelcome!" She spun around on her handmaid next and snarled at her. "And you, Rei, would do well to know not to argue with a warrior when his beast is in total control! Just shut your fucking mouth for once and let him take care of you, would that be so fucking hard!?"

Rei blushed and looked down at the ground in embarrassment. At least none of the warriors were dumb enough to laugh at her, Usagi would have dusted them all. "My apologies, Highness."

"Don't apologize to me, Rei. If anything, you should be thanking your mate for his concern."

The firestarter swallowed her pride and nodded. "I'm sorry, Turles. And thank you for looking after me."

Turles folded his arms over his chest and nodded in satisfaction. "Let Usagi heal you, then, and come stand with me when you're finished," he ordered flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He stalked off to take his place among his squad, waiting patiently.

Usagi was so glad that her father wasn't there to witness the squabble, and made quick work of healing Rei before he joined them all in the ring.

King Vegeta cleared his throat; since he could clearly smell the hormones in the air from the arguing, but he was wise and kept his mouth shut when his daughter shook her head, signaling that she'd taken care of it. "As you all know," he announced, "by looking at my daughter's shoulder, I did her ink last night. Take off the gauze Usagi."

"Yes, Father." She quickly removed it, baring a mostly-healed army tattoo. Usagi held still while her squad stepped forward and examined it quickly; it only took a glance to see the dark ink marking her as their commander.

"Anyone have a problem with this?" Vegeta asked softly.

Not one voice spoke out, everyone knew all too well that Usagi could easily kick all of their asses. Except for Broly, but he didn't have a bit of a problem with a female leading the Elite. She couldn't keep the pride from shining in her eyes, despite her grave expression, when the king handed over her mark of rank. "Your sword, Commander."

"Thank you, Majesty." Usagi strapped it around her torso so that the sword was on her back. "I swear to be worthy of it."

"You will be, I'm sure. Choose your second, woman, since you're leaving tomorrow." Vegeta nodded towards the Elite and stepped out of the way.

Usagi just stared at her men and furrowed her brow; she hadn't even given this any thought, and she should have the night before. Raditz was out, since he was coming with her, and Nappa was out, too. With a brat on the way and all of his training responsibilities, running the Elite would be nearly impossible for him. Turles had too much of a temper. "Bardock," she said firmly, once her eyes landed on him.

Bardock stepped forward a little, away from Mako, and inclined his head respectfully. "While I'm honored, Commander, I must decline. My mate and I are leaving for Althea in the morning. I'll explain everything to you later in private, if you wish."

She blinked at that and nodded. Damn it all to hell, now anyone she chose would think of himself as second option. Usagi looked around once more and grinned when she made eye contact with her next choice. "You know you want to," she teased.

Minako chuckled as her mate stepped forward, his arms crossed over his armor. Broly was outwardly grim and serious, but she could feel him dancing with glee through their bond. "If I said anything about being second, I'm sure your reply would be something akin to age and experience over youth and strength."

Usagi smirked at that and nodded. "Exactly. And you know it's true, Broly. So, you want to run the show while I'm gone?"

Broly finally cracked a smile and nodded. "I'd be honored, princess."

######################

"Ok, so spill it. You and Mako are going to an uninhabited planet… why?"

Mako took the reins on that question with an eager smile. "The king asked me if it was possible that my people hid when the delegation came to Althea. And yes, it's actually very possible, if everyone was brought back."

Usagi's eyes widened a little bit and she nodded. If the Altheans were alive, then her father's people… perhaps her grandmother? "How would they have hidden? Lightbending or something?"

"Oh no, much simpler than that. Ruka, Sets, and Hiro would have moved the ground and hidden everything beneath it, including the people. With Ruka's windtalking, there would be more than enough air down there if she simply lowered the cities into caverns and moved air in through some holes in the crust. The delegation only stayed for a few hours, and when they found nothing, they left. Pretty simple, really."

"My mother told me about my father a few nights ago," Usagi said quietly, making sure that only Bardock and Mako could hear her. "His name was Tsuku, and his mother's name was Serenity." Judging from Mako's expression, those names were well known and pretty important among the Altheans. "My father wouldn't have been brought back, but if Serenity…"

"She'd be alive," Mako said flatly. "I'll let her know that you are as well. Would you like to send a message?"

"No… just tell her that I'll visit, if she'd like me to, once my mission to Earth is complete. I imagine my Saiyan lineage might make me less than welcome on Althea… and Bardock, you should watch your back while you're there." Usagi frowned at that thought; she had a feeling that the newly mated couple were going to be running back to Vegeta-sai faster than they had planned. "I'll likely be out of range, but leave me a message when you arrive, and check in regularly to let me know how things are going, alright?"

"Definitely. And thank you, Usa, for the offer of Elite Second," Bardock added with a solemn nod. "I was deeply honored."

"I don't know why," she snorted. "Refereeing for that squad takes a lot out of Nappa, and he's only the trainer. I'm just glad I managed to foist the responsibility off on Broly. At least he's got youth and stamina on his side, they won't wear him out so fast."

They were departing in a small ship in only a matter of a few hours, so Usagi dismissed herself to allow them some time to head home and pack. And on that note, she had things to pack as well, her brother to call, and Turles to deal with. She didn't think Turles would try and immediately claim Rei with her gone, but she wanted to at least make sure that her theory was correct.

######################

Rei shoved at Turles when he set her down outside her door; he'd refused to let her fly yet again and she was fighting every urge to set his head on fire. "See you tomorrow," she ground through her teeth.

Turles yanked her back to him, ignoring her indignant yelp, and nipped at her lower lip. "I'm glad you're ok, woman."

"Let me go, Turles," she warned softly.

"Rei, just shut up for one minute and let me hold you. You scared me half to death this morning, and the only reason I'm not claiming you right now to keep that from happening again is because I know you don't want it yet," he added when she opened her mouth to protest. "So just shut up and hold still."

She sighed in resignation when he wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent. Fine, damn it, she owed him this much. And he'd been a gentleman about her tail that morning, too. He could have continued to pet it, and he would have had her willingly, but he'd released it when she'd told him to.

Rei tipped her head up a little to apologize for being a bitch, and when she breathed in to speak she really took in his scent for the first time ever. She'd ignored it before, but… She sniffed lightly once again and let out a gentle sigh of contentment before giving in to the urge to flick her tongue out and taste his neck.

Turles trembled when she tasted him, and purred low in his chest in approval as he bent his head to kiss her. It started out slowly, almost gently, since he was simply pleased that she seemed interested in him, and downright relieved that he hadn't lost her to the little prick that he'd vaporized earlier. And then his control slipped a little at the memory of that morning, and his inner Saiyan twined tails with her, gently flexing and rubbing hers in an attempt to seduce her.

"Holy shit," she moaned, clutching at his back at the feel of pleasure running up her spine and down between her legs.

"That's right, woman," Turles growled softly, lowering his mouth to lick and nip at her neck. "Gods, I want you so much."

"I know," she whispered, "but not yet, Turles. Let me go."

He could hear the touch of pleading in her voice, but shook his head just a little. "Tell me that you want me too, and I'll let you go, Rei."

Her head tipped back and she let loose a soft moan when his hand slipped under her armor and caressed her inner thigh while his tail continued its slow and wonderful movements. "Yeah," she gasped, "I do, but not yet, Turles."

Pressing his fingers against her heat through her spandex singlet, he groaned at the feel of how wet she'd already become in just a couple minutes. He let her go though, as promised. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rei."

#################

"Alright, is that everything?" Usagi asked for the millionth time that morning.

"Yes, Usa," Rei answered in exasperation. "All your stuff is packed and in your subspace. Clothes, armor, personal effects, ink and needles. Everything."

"Got your panic button?" She asked sheepishly.

"Yup," Rei replied with a matching grin. Usagi had installed a panic button on Rei's scouter in the event that Turles got too forward, now that she was no longer under Usagi's protection.

It was linked directly to Broly, who had already vowed to dispatch Bardock's son with extreme prejudice given the chance. Ok, he wouldn't kill him, even Rei didn't want that. But she was fine with Broly putting him in the tank for a few hours to cool off, and she'd made sure to tell him that. As afraid as she was of Turles claiming her before she was ready, she had to admit that she liked him.

Just a little, though.

Ok, fine. More than a little, but she was hardly admitting that to even herself outside of the deepest recesses of her mind. Contrary to the amount of douchebaggery that she knew he was capable of, he had actually been very kind to her.

"Thinking about him again?" Usagi asked with a snicker. "Your heroic warrior, saving you from the worst tail-squeezing of a lifetime?"

"Shut up, Usa," Rei sighed. "Though I have to admit, the tailplay afterward… wow."

"Tailplay?" Usagi asked curiously. "Is that where…?"

Rei nodded and chuckled. "Here. Don't worry, I'm not going to start making out with you or anything," she added, when she reached for Usagi's tail.

"But, you're a girl." She trusted her handmaiden, though, so she let her pluck the silver tail from around her waist and lace the length of black fuzz around it, just as they did when they were sleeping.

Rei rolled her eyes. "Gods, you're so damned sheltered, Usa."

"I grew up off planet with my brother," she snorted. "It's not like I had someone else around to twine tails with." Usagi shivered a little when Rei's tail slowly snaked down hers. "Whoa."

"Yeah, I know," she chuckled. "And it's normal for girls in the city to… experiment with tailplay and kissing, that sort of stuff, with other girls."

Now Usagi just looked confused, but she sighed with pleasure as Rei's tail continued to move. It was very soothing. "So, you like girls, too?"

Rei laughed at that and shook her head. "No, but it's a lot safer to practice kissing and tailplay with girls. Other girls aren't going to get all hormonal, pin you to a wall, and fuck you senseless."

"Ah, ok. I get it now." Usagi flexed her tail in return, and figured she was doing it right when Rei smiled and nodded in approval.

"And… my spank bank is full for the entire three-month trip," a male voice said cheerily from the doorway.

"RADITZ!" Both of them yelled, immediately wrapping their tail back around their own waists.

"Gods, if you two had started kissing, I think I would have come in my pants," he sighed happily. Raditz pressed a few buttons on his scouter, and grinned when both women continued to glare at him.

"Turley, you won't _believe_ what I just caught your mate doing with the princess."

"RADITZ, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Rei cried, shoving at him and yanking the scouter from his head. She put it on while Usagi fended him off, and glared at Turles on the other end of the line.

"Well, hello, sexy," Turles purred. "Aren't you a little old to still be experimenting with other girls?"

"Don't read too much into it, prick. Usagi had never engaged in tailplay, so I was just—"

"Uh-huh, sure. If you wanted some tailplay, you could have just called me over, woman. Hell, I'd be more than happy to get you off if you wanted to take things a little further." Turles didn't miss the flicker of interest on her face before it became stony once more. "No strings attached, woman. Just mutual pleasure. Sound good?"

Rei blinked at that and shook her head. "I know better than that, Turles." She signed off quickly before she could be tempted to take him up on his offer and handed Raditz his scouter. "Gossip queen."

Raditz laughed and tucked his scouter away. "I believe you're blushing, Rei. Did Hurley Turley offer you something?" He patted her on the shoulder when she glared at him. "Why don't you go take him up on it? Just make him swear on his tail that he won't go further than making out."

"It might be good for the both of you," Usagi advised. "His beastie was really rearing its head yesterday."

When Usagi turned away to go through a drawer she'd checked three times, Raditz made a few quick hand gestures towards the handmaiden and mouthed the word 'please.' Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, and while she was a little annoyed with Raditz, she wouldn't block any chance he might get with the princess. "Fine," she said flatly, both to Raditz's request and Usagi's suggestion. "I'll meet you both at the launch."

Usagi grunted something in response, and turned to her guard. "You got everything packed, too?"

"Yup. Usagi, I have to ask," he said with a lazy grin. "Why were you so interested in tailplay?"

She blushed and gave a tiny shrug. "We were talking about Turles, and I asked about tailplay."

Raditz kept the unassuming smile on his face and sat down on her bed before patting the space beside him. "Come here, Rei doesn't know what the hell she's talking about. Tailplay is much different between the sexes. Likely, she's never experienced it with another male than Turles, and she thinks that what she felt was because of the pull."

"Oh?" Usagi asked curiously, taking a seat. There wasn't even a question of trusting Raditz, she'd been sharing her bed with him almost nightly, after all, and he hadn't tried to claim her. "Alright, Master of Seduction, how is it different?"

"Here, you'll see." Raditz wrapped his tail around hers and expertly flexed his tail. Usagi moaned almost immediately, her head rolling back in rapture. "See. That's how it's different."

"Rei's a fucking amateur," the princess whispered. "How did you do that? Show me."

Usagi actually wanted him to teach her tailplay? Oh gods, this was a dream come true. "Ok, look at my tail, and pay attention to where it's at and how it's moving." He chuckled when he resumed what he'd been doing and her eyes fluttered shut. "Pay attention, Usa."

"Sorry," she answered breathlessly. "Sweet mother of the gods, that's just…"

"I know," Raditz said smugly, giving her one more stroke just to make her whimper. "Now focus. Block it out a little, like you do pain in battle, by raising your ki." He tipped her chin up when she sagged a little from the pleasure, and turned her head so she was looking at what he was doing. "Now, try and duplicate what I'm doing. It's actually pretty easy."

"Mmmm… okay." She had done as she was told in regards to her ki, but what Raditz was doing simply felt divine. No wonder he'd had so many conquests. Slowly at first, Usagi moved her tail, trying to mimic what he was doing, and was pleasantly surprised to see his head go back in rapture. "Doing that right, I take it."

"Definitely. A little lower, especially on a male. The base is always the most sensitive." Raditz felt himself growing hard, and raised a hand to stop her. "Alright, that's enough," he said quickly. Not here, and not now. This was just a taste of what was to come when they stopped for supplies in a month and a half.

####################

Usagi sighed, mostly in relief, as she watch Vegeta-sai grow smaller on her vidscreen. "I'm so glad that we're finally headed out."

The goodbyes had been quick, Minako and Broly had promised to look after Rei, and Ami and Nappa had guaranteed updates on the baby while Usagi was in cryosleep for the majority of the trip. She could catch up when she got to earth.

"Usagi, you good?"

She smiled and nodded at Raditz, who looked like he was hooking himself up to the sleep machine in his own pod. "Yeah, I'm about to hit the hay myself. See you in forty-seven days."

Raditz grinned lecherously and winked at her. "I'll be dreaming about tailplay, I'm sure."

"Har. Har. Har." He disappeared from her screen, and she shed her armor, since it was horribly uncomfortable to sleep in, before hooking herself up. As an afterthought, she took a pain pill before the machine knocked her out, in hopes that she'd seen her brother once more and tell him she was on her way.

She didn't see Vegeta when she nodded off; she was all alone in the white void, and more than a little upset about it. But then she felt an unexpected tug in another direction and followed it, only to find herself in a dark room, lit only by a couple candles.

Now this room, she knew. "Alright, where are you?" She asked, when she couldn't seem to find her green-eyed lover.

"Right here," he rasped in her ear. "You seem… closer than usual."

Usagi shrugged, not wanting to really reveal too much. She wasn't sure why, but she got the feeling that he didn't need to know that she was travelling at the moment. "I took a pain pill, in hopes of talking to my brother, since he usually shows up in my head when I do."

The warrior hesitated before nodding against her shoulderblade, dipping his head to kiss her tattoo. She'd tried to find him in the void, after days of giving him the silent treatment? Damn it. "This is new."

"Mmm… it is. Mark of the army." Usagi giggled when his lips tickled her neck. "Does somebody want something?" She teased.

"You. Always." Vegeta was already naked, pressing boldly against her hip, gradually leading her back towards the bed. "Come on, dreams don't—"

"On the contrary, Green Eyes, you can take as long as you want," she said coyly, turning and shoving him back onto the comforter. "I'll be asleep for quite a while."

"Tank?" He asked knowingly. If she'd taken a pain pill, and she was sleeping a long time, it only stood to reason that she'd been injured.

"Yeah, but I'm ok. Just banged up a bit." Usagi crawled on top of him and smiled devilishly, reveling in this rare moment of being in control.

Vegeta had other ideas, though, and smoothly reversed their positions, pinning her down. "So, I have all the time in the world, then. Where should I start, woman?"

##################

"Ok, I have to ask, woman. Are you getting tanked on purpose just to see me?"

Usagi shook her head and laughed hysterically, rolling to her elbow so she could look at him. "No, I just like a challenge, is all," she lied. By her reckoning, they were going to land for supplies soon, since she had seen her warrior about a dozen times.

Each time, they'd engaged in long, intense bouts of lovemaking, sometimes rough, and other times gentle, but she still hadn't told him she was travelling. And every time he'd commented about feeling how ridiculously close she seemed. Usagi had thought about that at length; maybe he was on Earth, too? But the only Saiyans on Earth were Kakarot and Vegeta… right? Maybe there was another that they didn't know about.

"I won't be here very long this time, I should be waking in a few hours, I think."

Vegeta crawled onto the bed and kissed her lazily. "Not that I'm complaining, I'm always happy to see you, but you need to be more careful when you're sparring."

"Yes, love," she snickered. Usagi bit down gently on his shoulder, and grinned when he shivered. "Now, if you're through lecturing me…"

"Yes, love," he growled, pinning her back down.

##############

"Usa? Usa!?"

Usagi blinked her eyes open when she felt someone shaking her vigorously, and groaned. "Whaaaa!?"

Raditz had never been that grateful to hear her whine. "You were in really deep, woman. Were you dreaming or something?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," she grumbled. And she'd been loath to leave her lover, but she kenw she'd see him again later on, once they'd loaded up with more cryosleep juice and the IVs that kept them fed and hydrated during space travel.

Usagi climbed out with his help and went with him to the abandoned building on the moon that had once been storage for the Saiyan Army in this sector. They quickly loaded up their pods, but when it came time to get back in and take off, Raditz stretched and groaned.

"I hate these damned journeys. You're lucky you're so small, you don't get all cramped up like I do."

Usagi smiled and leaned into Raditz to hug him tightly, feeling guilty for scaring him before. "It's ok, we'll be there soon," she assured him. "And then you can have a nice big sleeping bag on the ground, or maybe even a bed somewhere."

Raditz simply couldn't help himself any more. Gods, he had to have her, and he'd dreamed about executing this plan the whole time he'd been asleep. He pulled back just enough to lower his mouth to hers, and kissed her with everything he had.

Usagi's eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she stiffened in his arms at the sensation of his lips moving against her own. She broke away sharply once she'd gotten a grip on her senses, and tried to push him away, but he only drug her back into his arms for another earth-shaking kiss. "Raditz, no," she protested, once she'd broken the contact for a second time. "I—I don't feel that way for you, I'm sorry."

The third-class Saiyan felt a pang of hurt at her rejection, and hugged her tenderly against his chest. "I want you, Usagi, with every fiber of my being. But I wasn't going to try and claim you when those bastards were bombarding you four and five times a day, and definitely not while you were sleeping right next to me. I would never break your trust like that. I'd never stoop so low."

Feeling tears welling up in her eyes, Usagi shook her head. "Please, no, Raditz. Please don't do this. Just—let's forget you even said anything, and just go back to the way things were five minutes ago. _Please_. I don't want to fight you, Radu. You're closer to me than a brother ever could be."

"Which is why I should be your mate," he replied roughly. "No one knows you better than I do, Usa. No one cares for you more." He buried his face in her hair, letting her scent calm him. "We don't have to fight, you know. You could just let me claim you," he whispered gently. "I swear you'll enjoy it as much as I will." His mouth brushed against hers softly in hopes that she would return his kiss. "I'll be careful. I'll go slowly," he promised, sliding his lips to her jaw, her throat, then her shoulder.

It felt good, she couldn't deny it. Raditz definitely knew what he was doing, and she found herself relaxing against him while he licked and nipped at her throat. But the moment she felt his mouth grazing over her shoulder, she jerked back, anguish stamped all over her face. "No, Radu. I love you, but as family. Nothing more. Please don't make me fight you," she pleaded once more, knowing by the set of his jaw that her words were falling on deaf ears. Gods, he was actually going to make her beat him into next week. "You know you'll lose, Radu. Don't make me hurt my best friend."

Raditz sighed in disappointment. For just a few moments, he'd thought she was going to surrender to him. "Come here, Usa."

"No!" She sputtered, shaking her head. "Are you nuts? I don't want you, Raditz, I'm sorry."

"Then _who_, Usa? Who do you want? By the gods, you've only beaten the shit out of every available male on Vegeta-sai, and you're well past the age when you should have been claimed." He flushed with anger when she shrugged. Damn it all to hell, he'd been a master of seduction, even when he'd been in service to Frieza, but for the life of him he didn't know how to make this woman submit to him.

"I don't know," she finally admitted with embarrassment. "I've dreamed about a warrior since I was sixteen, but I can't ever see his face. He has the most intense green eyes I've ever seen," she added in a whisper. She frowned and shook her head. "I'll find him one day, I'm sure of it. At any rate, Raditz, you don't deserve a mate that doesn't love you. And I don't love you. Not that way."

Usagi shoved at him when he snagged her by the arm and kissed her again, but he wasn't budging. Fine, she was going to have to do this, she didn't have a choice. Powering up, she shoved at him again, sent him flying, and followed up with a barrage of kicks and punches when he recovered and came at her.

The fight was over in a matter of seconds, with Raditz pinned to the ground. Usagi's fist hovered over his throat, glowing with ki, and he groaned when he realized that the look on her face was not one of anger, but one of grief. "Usa…"

"No," she choked. "I don't want you, Raditz. Now acknowledge that you've lost, or I'm going to have to really fuck you up."

He sighed when a few tears escaped her eyes, and gave a tiny nod. Damn it, he hadn't made her cry since they'd been brats.

"Now swear that you'll never try it again, and I'll let you up."

Raditz hesitated, but nodded once more when her fist glowed a little brighter. "I swear it on my armor and my ink. I won't try to claim you or seduce you. Unless you ask me to," he added. He reached up then, and brushed her tears away with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry I made you cry, Usa."

"Not as sorry as you'll be if you ever try this shit again."


	14. Chapter 14

**RoF: Thank you, I called out of work today because I couldn't breathe, so of course that gave me plenty of time to write the next chapter. And thank you for assuring me that the pace is ok. ;)**

**Ana: You're awesome. And I'm not discouraged, I'll just keep writing. This is my story, and I'll tell it how I want to. If someone doesn't want to read it because of that, that's fine, I have plenty of loyal readers anyway. Like you!**

**Chibi: You'll see how Goku and Raditz turn out in this chapter, I honestly couldn't see Goku reacting any other way, he's just such a big ol softie.**

**Guest: You're fucking awesome. And because all of yall are so fucking awesome, I'm going right ahead and posting this chapter tonight. You guys just rock my fucking socks to no end. Usagi will figure things out soonish, in about two chapters, I think it is. And no, Goku and friends won't be travelling to Vegeta-sai in this fic.**

**Selene088: I feel bad for Raditz. I didn't have the heart to let Usa beat him into next century. He'll get what he deserves soon, though. And as far as the girls, them Saiyans don't use protection. At all. It would stand to reason that they'd ALL be knocked up in like, five minutes. We'll get into that later, lol.**

**As requested, Sesshy, I didn't PM you, but I was sorely tempted to at least apologize, since you seemed to take offense to my message. Ah me, tone of voice is lost on the internet. So read this in a cheerful voice for full effect. For the record, I'd at least like to state that I have 4 kids and attend nursing school, 9 credit hours this semester, and I work full time… I sleep on Sundays… So trust me, I know all about time constraints, lol.**

**I'm honestly not miffed, I appreciate constructive criticism, but I wanted to give everyone their due. I frankly feel a little bad for not giving Mina and Broly more time, but ah well. And I can't help but write the Vegeta and Usagi dream sequences because… well, damn. They're hot. Enough said right there, Vegeta's just yummy as hell! **

**And yes, Saiyans are fierce, hardcore warriors, but they don't fight all the time, right? If we're **_**suspending disbelief**_** long enough to believe in ki-wielding alien warriors, let's suspend it just a little bit more and acknowledge that they'd have some form of personal lives as well. So in closing, this is my story, everyone else seems to like the pacing for the most part (they've all said so), so I'll keep doing it how I do it. I'm sure there's other fanfiction to read if you don't like this one. I won't be offended.**

She looked around at the grass and the trees, the bright blue sky overhead. "No wonder Kakarot wanted to stick around this place! It's gorgeous!" She fought a temptation to roll around in the grass, but her tail still found its way from around her waist to stroke the soft green blades.

"You'd better go change, Usa. I'm positive someone saw us crash land, and I'm responsible for your safety. It wouldn't do to have you only wearing a nightgown if there's trouble. We weren't well-received the last time."

"Yeah, yeah," she huffed. "But then… that was your own damned fault for letting your temper get the better of you, Raditz."

"Preaching to the infantry, Usagi," he huffed. "We've been through this. I was a different person back then." He flinched for a moment when she hugged him tightly, before hesitantly returning the embrace.

"I'm sorry, Radu. I didn't mean to upset you." She grinned when he rolled his eyes, as if to tell her that Saiyan men were _never _upset by the words of a woman, but she knew all too well how much he valued her opinion. Usagi patted his shoulder as she pulled away and dug around in her space pod, yanking out her bodysuit, armor, travelling bag, and scouter. "Alright, turn your back," she ordered, despite the fact that her nightgown was nearly see-through, and he'd seen her nude countless times. After the fight, she'd be damned if he was going to ever see her naked again.

"Just hurry up, already." Raditz turned around and flicked on his scouter, searching in that direction for any high ki levels. Nothing in that direction. He turned a little, still averting his eyes from the woman changing her clothes, and grunted in surprise as the scouter went off, revealing several high kis to their north. Two were moving towards them, and fast. "And I'll bet money that one of them is Vegeta," he sighed. "He's going to be so pissed."

Usagi laughed from behind him, the sound like a balm washing over his worry. "Let _me _handle Veggie-head," she chuckled. "If he gets all high-and-mighty, I'll take him down a couple notches for you, just like when we were kids. And this time, I can do it with more than just words." She donned her scouter and confirmed that both kis headed towards them were pretty high, but she knew that Vegeta would likely be too amazed to see her to be angry. At least she hoped so. "Alrighty, I'm decent," she chirped.

Raditz glanced over at her, and as always, she still took his breath away. Her golden hair just brushed against the top of the grass, and her form-fitting royal purple armor, affixed with the royal insignia, left very little to the imagination. Her silver tail was wrapped tightly around her waist, and her scouter was in place, giving her readouts on the wildlife around her and the approaching kis in the distance. Only her sword was missing, tucked away in her bag. Not sure how Vegeta would react to seeing it on a female, especially her, she'd wisely decided to keep it hidden for the time being.

Usagi sighed and shook her head, wishing that he could stop looking at her like that. He was her friend, damn it, and nothing more.

She felt a feral grin playing at her lips at the idea of finally getting to spar with Vegeta... and on an even playing field, at that! Maybe she'd finally get to beat the shit out of him for once. "I can't wait to see his face," she said with something close to glee.

################

"Maybe it's just a couple Nameks," Goku said, trying his very best to assure Vegeta that the Saiyans hadn't landed. "And if it's not, I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle!" He beamed at his prince, and his smile only grew wider when Vegeta merely scowled at him.

"Shut up, Kakarot, I know without a doubt that they're Saiyans," he growled. He poured on some more speed just to get ahead of the third-class baka, and thankfully the idiot took the hint and lagged behind while Vegeta rocketed through the air to the crash site.

#################

"He may have gotten stronger, but he flies like a fucking grandma," Usagi snorted. "I'm gonna go meet him, fuck all this waiting."

"No, Usagi, that would be a bad id—" Raditz sighed when she launched herself into the air, and rolled his eyes before following her, though he knew he wouldn't be able to keep up with her when she was flying at her top speed.

###################

The ki that was as strong as his own was on the move, and headed for him. "Shit, maybe leaving Kakarot behind was a bad idea," Vegeta grumbled to himself. He froze, and his eyes widened for a moment when he felt it flare steadily, twice, indicating that everything was ok. Was this warrior trying to say that he wasn't an enemy to the crown prince? Vegeta flared back in a pattern, knowing that Raditz would understand and translate. _Stay put. I'll come to you._

To his surprise, the foreign ki signature pulsed back rapidly. _No. You stay. I'll come._

"He speaks Ki?" So that meant that this other warrior was part of the squad that he'd been in. No other squad had quite mastered their made-up language of energy pulses. So who in the hell? _No! _He flared back. _Stay put or I attack. _It wasn't Raditz, since his ki was flaring wildly, telling the warrior flying towards him to stay put as well. And it wasn't Nappa, Vegeta would know that ki anywhere.

Could it be…? No, it couldn't be. Usagi's ki had never been much to begin with, and she'd already sworn that she wasn't coming to find him. Vegeta growled at that; the thought of their argument only made him angrier, and this unknown Saiyan warrior was going to pay for it.

The other warrior slowed down, almost as if he was hesitating, but still kept coming. Vegeta could tell by the rapid stutter of flares that he was cussing him out pretty creatively. _Jackass. Stand down, _he finally said in Ki, increasing his pace. _I'm not an enemy, you dumbfuck._

_ Watch it, boy. _

_ You watch it!_

_ Stop moving. I'll come to you._

_ No! You stop moving! _The other warrior was obviously getting pissed off now, judging by his ki level and the way it was rapidly firing messages, practically yelling at him. Vegeta grinned and shook his head. It was going to be sweet to finally get in a real fight.

That was when he finally saw the other Saiyan's ki, flying right at him, and when the prince slowed down a little, he barely had time to erect a ki shield when it was clear that the other warrior wasn't stopping. He didn't even have time to form an energy blast when it was obvious that he was in trouble.

And just before the other warrior collided with him, he could have sworn he heard a woman's voice.

"GETA!" Usagi cried ecstatically, as she flew right into him, wrapped her arms and legs around his torso, and hugged him tightly. The impact sent them both flying back, knocking the wind out of the prince, and they began to fall immediately.

The princess laughed when he started to fight her, trying to buck her off and beat her down; it was obvious that he hadn't quite figured out who had barreled into him at full speed. She quickly hit the brakes to keep them from running into a mountain, and cackled when he couldn't shake her. "It's _me_, Gee-Gee!" She laughed, practically squeezing him to death.

Vegeta stopped fighting and went stiff in her arms, one hand rising up to press her tightly against him, despite his disbelief.

No. It couldn't be.

But only one person in the entire universe had ever called him by that stupid, childish name.

Usagi was still on Vegeta-sai, still presumably pissed at him since he hadn't spoken to her through the bond in months… wasn't she? And getting tanked every five minutes, with the way she'd been coming to him almost nightly. Ok, not him; Green Eyes. But he'd take what he could get, damn it. Or… she'd lied about being tanked, and she'd really been in cryosleep for the last three months, which would explain her constant presence in his dreams almost every other night.

The prince pulled back just slightly to look at her, and found himself gazing into a pair of laughing blue eyes, framed by a gorgeous heart-shaped face and windblown golden hair.

He immediately felt the pull in his stomach.

"U—Usa…?" His hand reached up to touch her face, and he watched those bright blue eyes soften in understanding, as they had so many times in the past.

"Hey, Geta," she whispered, pecking him innocently on the lips. When she pulled back to see him still in utter shock, she hugged him tightly, burying her face in his neck. "Gods, I missed you." His scent hit her nose, then, and it brought tears to her eyes. Seeing him, even in the void, wasn't quite the same as smelling him; he looked different now, more like his father than he had as a child. He was all grown up, just as she was. But other than the underlying musk that signaled a full-grown Saiyan warrior, his scent was still the exact same.

Gods, how she'd missed that smell more than anything in the world. It screamed safety and love, and put her utterly at peace, despite the very funny feeling she felt in her stomach.

Usagi sighed in contentment when she felt his arms slowly encircle her, and his face went straight to her hair to take in her scent, just as she was doing with him.

"You—you're _here_."

Was that a sob she heard in his voice? Vegeta _never_ cried. Usagi pulled back a little to look at him, and was concerned to see that he was having a very hard time keeping it together. "Shh, Geta, it's ok." Her fingertips whispered over his jaw, then up to his eyes, to brush away the tears that were just barely still hanging, not yet spilling down his cheeks. Then she was jerked against his chest once more, and he was holding her like he'd never let her go. "Shh. Shh, Geta. Shh. It's alright." Those words became a mantra, as she ran her fingers through his hair, down his back, and back up again in an effort to soothe him.

Usagi felt Raditz's ki behind Vegeta, and she opened her eyes and signaled with her hand for him to just go away and give them a minute. Geta wouldn't want anyone to see him crying, and she knew that's what he was doing, despite his effort not to. She could feel his tears dripping silently onto her neck as he trembled in her arms, so she just continued to murmur words of comfort in Saiyan as she helped keep them afloat. "I find you well?" She finally asked, after several minutes of simply holding each other.

"You do now," he choked out in Saiyan.

"Don't cry, Geta, it's making me cry too," she whispered, sniffling a little bit. Usagi chuckled when he pulled back to wipe away her tears, just as she'd done for him. "But then, you're used to me blubbering."

Vegeta leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, only to bury his face in her hair again. "Usa. Kami, girl." He breathed in her scent happily, and would have been content to hold her like that for the rest of his life.

"Hey, Vegeta! Who's the girl!?" A baritone voice asked from behind Usagi.

"Shut up and go away, Kakarot," the prince snapped, but without the usual bite to his words. He was simply too happy to care about that third-class idiot.

Goku simply grinned; he'd noticed Vegeta's lack of annoyance with him, and paired with the fact that he was holding this woman like he'd die if he let her go, the Earth-raised Saiyan knew that she was someone very important to him. And the way the girl was holding him in return… well, it looked like Vegeta had a girlfriend!

His eyes widened when he realized that Vegeta was crying a little. Holy shit. This was big! This was _really _big! "So… who are you?"

Usagi nuzzled her face into Vegeta's chest and snorted in amusement. "I'm assuming that's still Kakarot," she mumbled in Saiyan. "The man can't take a hint to fuck off for five minutes."

"Still as perceptive as ever," he chuckled, dipping his head to brush his lips against hers again in a chaste kiss. He wished that kiss could be more, but the last thing he wanted to do was run her off when she'd only just arrived. Baby steps, that was the solution to this. They'd address the pull later on, most likely when she looked him in the eye and felt it.

"You kissed her!?" Goku yelled. "Oh my God, she _is_ your girlfriend!"

Usagi looked up at that and blushed. "I'm his sister, you jackass!" She snarled.

"Not my damned sister," Vegeta snorted.

Goku just quirked an eyebrow and stared at the two of them. "Vegeta… you kiss your sister on the lips?" He asked, clearly disgusted. "I'm so glad I grew up on Earth."

Vegeta snorted and smirked at Usagi, before kissing the tip of her nose affectionately. "Not my sister," he grumbled again out of habit. Then he sighed, when the third-class clown just looked confused. "To be specific, Kakarot, she's my step-sister."

"Still gross, Vegeta."

"And it's not what you think." _But it will be, if I have anything to say about it._

"Geta and I sort of imprinted on each other during infancy, when our parents pair-bonded. We were inseparable until…" Usagi gave him a mournful smile and shrugged.

Just before Vegeta had died, he'd told Goku about what had happened to him, so he knew what she meant. "Until Frieza took him. How old were you two?"

"We were twelve," they answered in unison, just as they'd done countless times as brats. They both shot each other identical grins as well, when the sound of their voices as one brought up lots of old memories.

"And imprinting… what is that, exactly?" Goku asked curiously.

"We…" Usagi blushed a little, at a loss as to how she could possibly explain such a rare phenomenon between Saiyan children. Since Vegeta hadn't pulled away from her, she simply buried her face in his neck and breathed in his scent. "It's a tie closer than family, Kakarot. It's something that can't be explained. We went everywhere together, did everything together, even shared the same bed. And when we didn't, I never slept well. I still don't."

"Huh. Sounds like me and Chi-Chi," he said simply. "You think about each other all the time, even when you were separated for so long?"

Both of them gave him a brief nod, practically snuggling each other in mid-air, right in front of him. And Vegeta couldn't be bothered to give a shit that his greatest rival was witnessing it. "You should take a nap," he grumbled in Saiyan.

"I'm fine," Usagi sighed happily, closing her eyes. "I think I could stay like this forever, Geta."

"Mm, sounds good," he grumbled. "Raditz is with you? I sensed him, too."

"Yeah, Radu came with me. I'd better go and set up camp." She reluctantly pried herself out of his arms and located Raditz, who was waiting back at the ship.

Before Vegeta could protest, she was off like a bolt of lightning, moving faster than he could have ever imagined. "At least she doesn't bobble in the air anymore," he muttered.

"Wow, she's fast!" Goku exclaimed excitedly. He didn't miss Vegeta's slight look of shock, and grinned. "She wasn't always that fast, I take it?"

"No," he answered flatly, "she's a lot stronger than the last time I'd seen her. That little bald-headed weakling could have beaten her easily back then. I think she's also faster than me," he admitted with some reluctance.

Goku waggled his eyebrows at the Saiyan prince. "You like her more than a sister, I take it?"

"She's mine," Vegeta stated simply, returning to his emotionless wooden mask. "She always has been, she just doesn't know it." He rolled his eyes a little when Goku's hand went to the back of his head in his usual, familiar gesture. "Come on, Kakarot."

They were there in no time, and found Usagi checking out some of the indigineous plants, while Raditz stood guard nearby, a little smirk on his face at the sight of his brother. "Kakarot," he said simply, inclining his head. He wasn't surprised to see his brother frown and immediately take a defensive stance, preparing for what had to be an inevitable attack from the older Saiyan.

"Apparently the wish on the dragon balls brought everyone back," Goku ground through his teeth, "but they won't bring you back again from where I'm about to send you, Raditz."

"Shut up, Kakarot," Usagi said pleasantly, not even turning around to address him. "Gods, Father was right to convince me to come, I see. Bloodthirsty monkeys, all of you boys. I swear."

Even Usagi's levity didn't make Goku relax for a moment. "Then why are you here, Raditz?"

The long-haired Saiyan grinned and shook his head, holding up a finger to signal for him to wait a minute, while he focused his attention on the prince, who was moving in behind the princess with deadly silence.

Alarm bells went off in her head at the sudden quiet, but it was too late. Strong fingers grasped the base of her tail, just short of being painful, and gave it a gentle tug, making her shriek and jump a mile in the air.

"LET GO OF MY TAIL!" She screamed, flaring her ki in alarm.

"I always told you that you did a shitty job of watching your back, girl," Vegeta snarled from behind her.

"Geta, if you don't let go of my tail…"

"You'll do what?" Usagi nearly rolled her eyes when she heard the arrogant smirk in his voice.

Her fingers flexed at her side, itching for the feel of her sword in her hand. But no, she'd just had to have left it in her pack. Great. "For starters, I'll rip off that pathetic excuse for a manhood that you call a cock, and shove it straight up your ass," she replied flatly. "Now… Let. Go. Of. My tail." She gasped when the fingers circling that ultra-sensitive appendage loosened and began to stroke the silver fur that covered it. "Vegeta, let it go." She'd meant for it to come out harsh and biting, but the words came out sounding like a throaty purr, and she was trying her very best not to close her eyes and surrender to the waves of pleasure that his fingers were invoking. "Gods… Geta… " She whispered, her voice growing husky. "Please…"

"Say the words I want to hear, girl," he chuckled. "I'm sure you remember them, I made you say them often enough when we were brats." When she only clenched her fists and began to breathe raggedly, he frowned. "I remember this particular spot making you scream that you were about to piss yourself," he grumbled a little. "Why aren't you laughing and screaming at me?" Vegeta had been hoping to tickle her damn near to death before she finally conceded defeat, but it was causing a completely different reaction. She'd gone limp… and what the hell? Was that a moan? And he could smell—Vegeta immediately released her tail, and backed away a couple of steps, his eyes going wide for a moment in surprise.

Usagi blinked, relieved that he'd finally let go, and hit her knees when her legs gave out. Damn, Raditz and Rei teaching her tailplay was _nothing_ compared to that!

She found herself blushing bright red at the realization that Vegeta, of all the people in the universe, had just gotten her extremely aroused, and she spun in place before leaping on him, ki flaring and fists flying. "What did you _think_ it would do, Vegeta!? I'm a grown fucking woman, for gods' sakes!"

Raditz watched all of this with surprise and amusement from the sidelines. He'd been about to warn Vegeta about the repercussions of playing with a grown female's tail, especially with the hands, but he knew the reaction would be explosive and immensely entertaining, so he'd kept his mouth shut.

And for a split second, he'd almost hoped that Vegeta knew what he was doing; if Raditz couldn't have her, he'd at least take some solace in watching the princess quelled into compliance.

Right then, though, Usagi was anything but quelled and compliant, and she was flinging every Saiyan curse she knew at Vegeta while he simply tried to keep up with the flurry of punches and kicks that were aimed mostly at his balls.

Raditz grinned in a downright friendly manner and waved his brother over to join him, and laughed when Kakarot hesitated, clearly suspicious. "Trust me, brother, you don't want to be in the crossfire when Usagi's pissed off!" He laughed.

Goku approached his brother slowly, unable to shake the feeling that he was there to once again try and force him to join up, or worse, try and destroy his home planet. But when it was obvious that Raditz was no longer paying him any mind, and simply watching the blonde woman and Vegeta fight, he relaxed and leaned against the space pod, right next to his brother. "Who exactly is she? Vegeta already made it clear that she's _not_ his sister."

"She's a childhood friend of the royal house. We all used to play together as children, but she was sent with her and Vegeta's brother, Tarble, to purge some planet out in the middle of nowhere. I picked her up about four months ago on a reconnaissance mission to find the royal brats. Tarble was mated to a native of the planet, and chose to stay behind."

"Oh, so you didn't try and force him," Goku said flatly, with a touch of bitterness.

"That's not who I am anymore, Kakarot," he replied flatly. "If you'd like to call in a blood debt, I'll understand. But right now I want to watch Usagi kick the shit out of His Royal Highness."

"I have to admit, it's refreshing to see someone that's his equal, besides me," Goku said brightly, just as Usagi took advantage of an opening to nail the prince right in the balls before following up with a kick to the face. "Kami, she's _vicious_."

Vegeta fell to the ground in a heap, clutching the royal jewels of Vegeta-sai, and Raditz laughed when Usagi landed, standing over the prince, with a ki blast aimed for Vegeta's cock. "Actually, Kakarot, Usagi normally wouldn't hurt a fly... unless that fly was trying to claim her. But Vegeta… he just tends to bring out the Saiyan in her. He _always_ has. Makes for great entertainment. You should have seen them fight as brats."

Goku grinned brightly at that. "Sounds like love."

"Either that, or she really, really hates him. I've never been sure which, honestly," he joked. Raditz laughed hysterically when he heard Usagi say something in Saiyan.

"Say the words, Vegeta, I'm sure you remember them, even after all these years," Usagi chuckled darkly.

Vegeta growled at the ki blast in her hand, while his balls still throbbed from the punch she'd landed. "You wouldn't," he snapped.

"Ok, you've got me there," she admitted. "But I wouldn't hesitate to hit you again, and I promise you that it'll hurt a lot worse than the first time." Usagi waited patiently, smiling smugly. "I suggest you say the words, Geta." She laughed when he mumbled something. "A little louder, baby Gee-Gee, I didn't quite catch that."

"Fine, girl!" He shouted. "I bow before the almighty Queen of the Saiyans! I'm not worthy of her presence! She is awesome! I eat mud and smell like a Saibaman!"

Usagi waited a moment before lifting an eyebrow. "The rest of it Geta… don't think I've forgotten." She barely managed to keep from joining Raditz in his hysterical laughter, while she waited for Vegeta to finish saying what he'd made her say more times than she could count.

"I'm trying to think of a way to say it, girl!" He snapped at her in embarrassment. "Saiyan males don't say those damned words and you know it!"

Usagi laughed, unable to help herself anymore. "Get as close as you can, and maybe you'll remember not to be such a douchebag!"

"You'd better say it, my prince," Raditz advised with a laugh. "She's kicked me in the balls a couple of times, and she never bluffs. I know how painful it's going to be if you don't do as she says."

"Bitch," Vegeta muttered.

"Say, it, Geta," Usagi said patiently.

"Fine, fine, fine! I yield, girl! I lo—" He glared at her. "I'm _**not**_ saying that word," he said flatly.

"Then you'd better make it good."

Vegeta grinned despite himself. God, this was just like old times, only he was being forced to submit to her for the first time ever. Damn, she'd gotten strong! He eyed her, and his interest suddenly sharpened at the sight of all those perfect curves, that long blonde hair, and those crystal blue eyes that had only seemed to get even bigger and more expressive over time.

Somehow, those dreams hadn't even done her justice. Even if they had been real dreams. And Vegeta couldn't wait to find out if she was just as responsive to him in person as she had been in her sleep.

He saw her smug expression suddenly falter under his predatory gaze, and his grin only grew wider. "Usagi is the most beautiful, gorgeous creature in the universe, and I submit to her prowess in battle. And I'll never grab her tail again." He quirked an eyebrow and added softly, for her ears only, "unless she wants me to? Then I think I'll be more than happy to oblige."

Raditz wondered what that last bit had been when he saw Usagi's face grow beet red, and Vegeta was suddenly the one looking awfully smug.

Usagi absorbed the ki ball back into her body and huffed, no longer as pleased as she'd been only moments before. "Radu, I'm going to go set up camp somewhere suitable," she snapped angrily.

Vegeta climbed to his feet once she was out of sight, but he could feel her ki fluctuating as she was obviously ranting to herself in the woods, cursing his very name for his last remark. "She got strong."

Raditz nodded, also monitoring Usagi's ki very closely. "And I see you still have the same effect on her, Your Highness. If you don't mind me speaking out of turn?"

"What is it?" He asked pleasantly, completely at odds with his normal demeanor. He was too busy smelling Usagi's too-familiar scent in the air, mixed with the cloying smell of a fully mature female. Kami, those dreams hadn't done her justice.

"She's had a lot of suitors, Your Highness, so the fact that you grabbed her tail… she's not happy, and she'll likely not be happy unless you apologize."

"Is she mated!?" Vegeta suddenly asked, his head snapping around to glare at the nightguard. She couldn't be mated, there was no possible way if he was still feeling the pull for her… right?

"No, Your Highness, she kicked the shit out of them all… including myself." He shrugged when the prince growled at him and his black eyes flashed malevolently. "You'd seriously blame me for trying? Shit, Your Highness, look at her!" He sighed a little. "But she wouldn't have me, and I promised her I wouldn't try and take her again. I wouldn't have, anyway… I'd want her willingly, to be honest."

"You stay away from her, Raditz, do you understand? She's _**mine**_," he said flatly, surprising all of them, especially himself. He'd been hoping to keep that information to himself, at least for a little while longer, while he adjusted to the fact that she was actually _here_.

############

Usagi instantly recognized the stomping through the underbrush, and spun around, suspicious that he'd try and grab her tail again. His arms were folded over his chest in a gesture she was all too familiar with, and he was watching her silently. She quickly looked him up and down, completely ignoring the way her pulse was suddenly racing at the sight and smell of him. "You got really tall." However, she wasn't going to boost his ego by adding a comment about the development of all those perfect muscles.

"And you're still a midget." He smirked when she rolled her eyes and huffed at him before returning to her job of clearing the campsite.

"And I see that you're still an arrogant prick," she said sweetly.

Vegeta leaned against a tree and simply watched her for a moment. "I'm sorry I grabbed your tail."

Usagi's head snapped up so fast that it would have broken her neck if she'd been human. "Did the great Prince of all Saiyans just _apologize_ for something?"

He tipped his head in acknowledgement. "The only female I was ever around was you, Usagi. And I was given to Frieza when I was twelve, remember? I didn't know that it would have that kind of effect on you." When she beamed at him happily, he forced down a smile of his own.

"Start over, then?" She suggested.

"If you'd like, girl. Woman. Whatever."

"Do I get another hug?" She teased. She chuckled when he lifted an eyebrow and shook his head. "You didn't have a problem with hugging your baby sister a little while ago."

"Not my fucking sister," he snapped. Damn it, he was going to have to force her to make eye contact at some point soon before she drove him out of his mind with that brother-sister bullshit.

"Never mind," she said flatly.

It was time for a change of subject, damn it, before he really hurt her feelings and she started crying. Watching her cry was the one thing he could never stand to see, and she'd already done it once since she'd landed. "What in the hell are you doing, woman?"

"Clearing a campsite, what does it look like, Geta? You've done it enough times to know… and I'm amazed that you haven't offered to help." Vegeta had always jumped in to help her when they'd been children, but now he was simply staring at her blankly.

"Woman, did it even occur to you that Kakarot and I have _homes _on this pitiful dirtball?" He stalked forward and grabbed her by the arm, tugging her to her feet. "Come on, we'll get your things, and get you settled. I'll be damned if I'll have fellow Saiyans living in abject poverty while I stay at a house as big as the Saiyan palace," he spat. Especially her, damn it. She was staying at Capsule Corp, with him, whether she liked it or not. And if Kakarot so much as offered her a room at his own home, that baka was going home with a broken face.

Usagi didn't protest when Vegeta tugged her through the woods; she'd learned years ago to pick her battles or deal with his temper. Never mind that she could beat him in a fair fight now. She smiled when he slid his grasp to her hand, enveloping her smaller one, bringing back a flood of memories.

Vegeta was amazed when Kakarot intuitively claimed to only have room for Raditz in his home, and gave him a look that was as close to gratitude as he'd ever come. He smirked when Kakarot winked in his direction while Usagi was looking away. Damn, maybe he wasn't as big an idiot as Vegeta had thought.

Raditz tried not to glare at his prince, but found it impossible. Yes, he was jealous, he was man enough to admit it, but he was far more concerned with Vegeta forcing a pair-bond on Usagi when she clearly wasn't ready for one.

He discreetly confronted the prince while Usagi was gathering up her things, chatting in an animated fashion with his brother. "I'll die defending her honor if you force her, Your Highness," he said bluntly under his breath.

Vegeta opened his mouth to say something biting and insulting, but something on Raditz's face kept him from doing so. If the boot was on the other foot, he'd be telling Raditz the same damned thing, wouldn't he? "I won't force her. I don't think I could, even if she was as weak as you," he added with a growl, just to regain a sense of balance.

"Well then, I hate to admit it, but I'm going to enjoy watching her make you batshit. Just wait til you see her wearing one of those flimsy see-though nightgowns of hers. Gods, it'll make you fucking _insane_," he groaned.

"Hn, I think I'm looking forward to it," he chuckled. "Too bad she doesn't sleep naked anymore."

"Well, we're not exactly brats anymore, Prince Vegeta. After you left, she started to mature, and her mother demanded that she wear something, despite the heat in the evening."

Vegeta sighed a little, despite his pride. He remembered a certain blonde child climbing into bed with him nearly every night, snuggling up to him against the cold late nights of Vegeta-sai, both of them completely innocent to the fact that they were naked. It wasn't uncommon for the servants or the king to come in in the morning to find them curled up together, their tails entwined, wrapped around each other protectively. "No, we're not brats anymore," he agreed, with just a hint of longing for simpler times.

"She still has a lot of trouble sleeping by herself," Raditz found himself admitting, surprised at his own willingness to help out what should have been a rival for Usagi's affections. Fuck, who was he kidding? Usagi wanted nothing to do with him romantically, and she'd made it infinitely clear when she'd nearly kicked his head in. "Before the fight…" He sighed heavily, also wishing for simpler times. "I was her nightguard, and shared her bed unless one of her handmaidens stayed with her. If she slept by herself, she slept just like she used to. A couple hours a night, then groggy as hell and dead on her feet for the rest of the day."

Vegeta's lips twitched up in a devilish smile. "Well then, I might just have to take advantage of that for a while."

###################

Raditz's word proved to be true the moment Vegeta had gotten her to Capsule Corp. She'd been under a chemically induced sleep for months, and the woman was clearly exhausted for real sleep, but she was doing an admirable job at hiding it while she met Bulma and her family.

But Usagi was clearly trying not to nod off after packing away as much food as he had, despite the fact that she'd avoided drinking any wine with her dinner.

"Usagi, dear," Bulma said with a touch of concern, "you should probably get some rest." She smiled a little when the blonde shot her a look full of pride, managing to look very much like Vegeta. God, she knew that look all too well.

"I'm fine," Usagi said flatly, "but thank you for your hospitality, Bulma."

"No, woman, you're not," Vegeta huffed. "You've been in that space pod for three months, and I know how fucking horribly you sleep in them. You're going to bed." He lifted an eyebrow when she shot him a venomous look. "Did I fucking stutter, woman? Go get out of that armor and get some sleep. You're sparring with me in the morning."

"We'll be sparring tonight if you don't lose that fucking holier-than-thou tone, Vegeta," she snarled. "Did you forget who put you in the dirt only a few hours ago, or do you need a reminder?"

The Briefs family watched all of this with amusement; finally, someone was putting Vegeta in his place! Bulma barely managed not to start laughing, and it was only because she had a feeling that two Saiyans would be pounding on her if she let out so much as a chuckle.

"Gods, I'd forgotten how bitchy you are when you're exhausted, woman. Go get in bed," he ordered. He simply stared at her when she came around the table, forming a ki blast in her hand. "You really think you can take me on, woman? You're too tired to fight me, and you know it."

"And not in the house," Bulma said sharply, as she realized that the newest addition to her household wasn't bluffing. She sighed with relief when the ki ball disappeared, absorbed back into its owner.

"Sorry, Bulma," Usagi said, looking contrite. "He tends to annoy me, even sixteen years later," she added dryly.

"I feel your pain," Bulma answered with a grin. She'd been waiting for this day ever since Vegeta had finally started talking to her about Usagi, and it was definitely living up to the hype she'd built up in her mind. She couldn't wait to see what happened when Vegeta tried to claim her.

Of course, she'd be half a mile away when it happened, well out of the cross-fire, sitting in a lawn chair and eating a bowl of popcorn while she watched the fireworks.

"Alright, enough of this." Vegeta stood, grabbing Usagi by her arm, and forcibly drug her out of the dining room, towards the stairs. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let you do this to yourself, Usagi," he said, once they were out of earshot. "I promised you once that I would protect you. Well, that includes protecting you from yourself," he added, when she opened her mouth to hotly protest. "Now, I'm ordering you to bed. Or are you going to disobey a direct order from your liege?"

Usagi's mouth fell open, and she stuttered and sputtered where she stood, completely in shock that he'd just given her an order. "You—you can't—"

"Think again, woman. I can, and I just did. Last time I checked, I led the Saiyan Elite, and unless I'm mistaken, you're one of them, aren't you?"

"_**I **_lead the Saiyan Elite!" She yelled. "I'm the highest ranking Elite, ever since Vegeta-sai was wished back!" She pulled her armor over her head, and tugged down the shoulder of her bodysuit to bare a tattoo on her shoulder, proving her rank. "See! And my sword of rank in is my pack, if you were planning on asking about that! If anything, boy, you'd be following **my** fucking orders, thank you very much!"

Boy? Did she just dare to call him boy, like she was already his commanding officer? "Woman, I am no **boy**! And the only reason I never got tattooed like everyone else was because I went off planet at **twelve**!" He shouted. _For you! _He added silently. "Now, either get your ass upstairs and in bed, or I will fucking **put** you there!" He roared.

"I fucking dare you," she whispered dangerously.

Not one to bluff, Vegeta proceeded to throw her over his shoulder, where she immediately began kicking and punching him as hard as she could. He grinned when she instinctively reached for his waist, and let out a gasp of surprise. "What happened to your tail, Geta!?"

He set her down when he finally reached the guest room directly across from his, and shook his head at the look of horror on her face. "I lost it in battle, years ago. Don't you dare pity me, woman," he added, when her face softened in sympathy. The loss of a tail was one of the most terrifying things that could possibly happen to a warrior, even worse than being enslaved, like he had been with Frieza. It was a disgrace.

"But… it…" She felt tears welling up in her eyes, unbidden, at the thought of losing her own tail. Gods, how would she survive without it? It would be like losing an arm or a leg. "Did it hurt badly?"

Vegeta nodded, and couldn't help himself when he pulled her to him tightly. She'd been the only one that had ever cared, even when they were children. Except for maybe Tarble. But Usagi's kindness had always been the only kindness he'd ever accepted, and he couldn't help but do it now. "Don't cry. It's over and done with, Usa."

She nodded against his chest, feeling completely safe for the first time in a decade. He'd always made her feel that way, just like an older brother should, and just like a little sister, she couldn't help but admire his acceptance of such a great loss. Usagi would have been devastated, but Vegeta had handled the loss like a true Saiyan warrior.

She wondered… no, not tonight, she'd try it once she finally got a good night's sleep and regenerated her powers. Maybe she'd finally find a use for her father's lineage besides minor healing and blowing shit up, like Gure had tried to teach her.

Vegeta nearly smiled when he felt her relax against him, just like she'd done when they were brats. He wondered briefly if they could regain some of that childhood trust and innocence before he decided to claim her. It was probably too much to hope for, but the twelve years he'd spent with Usagi were without argument, the best years of his life. "Come on, Usa, you really need to sleep."

"Alright, I admit defeat," she huffed. "Where's my stuff, Geta?"

He smirked as she pulled away. "I knew you'd see the light, woman. I'm always right… or did you really forget it after a decade and a half?"

"Shut up, jackass," she answered half-heartedly, snagging her bag from the dresser. She pulled out a nightgown, much like the ones that the women in the palace wore during the hotter hours of the early evening, and stalked into the bathroom.

Vegeta nearly had a nosebleed when she came back out, despite the fact that her nightie was more translucent than transparent. Thank Kami that Raditz had exaggerated, because Vegeta didn't think he could have handled seeing her if that piece of clothing had been completely sheer.

"You ok, Geta?" Usagi asked with concern.

"Damn, girl, when did you grow tits?" He snorted, quickly saving himself from looking like a pervert. Get her annoyed, that was the quickest way to distract her from the fact that he'd been staring at her like a lion stared at a fresh steak.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "If you could call these things tits." She looked down, studying them. "Then again, I guess they're an acceptable size for a female warrior," she amended.

"Definitely." Kami, they were absolutely perfect, in his opinion. "Any bigger, and you wouldn't be able to spar without your armor. You'd be poking yourself in the eye every time you threw a kick." He grinned when Usagi laughed, the sound ringing out through the room. How he'd missed that sound. "Now get in the bed, and take the melons with you, woman."

"More like bee stings," she snorted. She did as she was told, climbed in the bed, and flushed with pleasure when Vegeta tucked her in, just as he had all those years ago. "Night, Geta," she said softly.

"Night, Usa. I'm across the hall if you need anything."

#######################

"Ok, this is going to be the hardest part. So just do me a favor and stay put out here. Got it?"

Raditz nodded without question, since he was grateful that his brother was allowing him to stay at his home, rather than out in the woods, but why did such a formidable warrior look so damned terrified?

He kept quiet and stayed outside the door, and simply listened in with his superior hearing.

Goku grinned shakily at his wife, who was setting the table for supper, and tipped his head back towards the door. "Heya, Chi-Chi! We have some company."

"Why, Goku, that's wonderful! But why are you being so rude? Invite them in already!"

"Well, see, Chi-Chi, that's the thing. I didn't want you to freak out or anything. You know how I wished back everyone with the dragon balls?" He cringed when she glared at him; Chi-Chi was anything but stupid.

"Who? Who's outside, Goku?" She growled, scooping up her trusty frying pan.

"He doesn't mean any harm, he swears it!" He said quickly, blocking the door with his large frame. "Trust me, if I thought he did, I would have already taken care of it!"

"WHO!?"

The Saiyan cringed as she stalked toward him, pan in hand and at the ready to strike. "It's my brother," he said simply.

Chi-Chi's face turned red, and she opened her mouth to scream some obscenities when a high-pitched squeal came from outside the door. The woman shoved her husband out of the way in an instant, recognizing the cry as coming from her child, just as any good mother would, and immediately put herself between a trembling Gohan and Raditz, who had been trying to shush him without any success.

"Hello," the huge Saiyan warrior said weakly, at a loss for what else to do.

"Try and take my boy again, will you!?" Chi-Chi cried, her ki erupting around her in bright red flames. "Over my DEAD BODY!"

"AH! CHI-CHI, NO!" Goku yelled, diving forward with ridiculous speed to knock Raditz out of the way. "NOT THE KAOIKEN!"

Raditz looked up at her from the ground and shook his head. "Woman, I'm not here to start any trouble, I swear it on my tail! The princess and I are here to retrieve Prince Vegeta, that's all!"

Chi-Chi stopped at that and looked around. "And where's this princess, then, huh?" She asked suspiciously.

"She's staying with Vegeta, Chi-Chi!" Goku interjected, still between the two of them. He managed a little grin for his next statement, though. "She's his girlfriend."

The red flames faded around her and she just stared at him in shock. "_Vegeta _has a girlfriend? You're telling me that arrogant prick has actually convinced a woman to sleep with him?"

"Actually, woman, if you could not mention that to the princess, it would be better for everyone involved," Raditz said quickly. "She doesn't know yet. She still thinks of him as a brother."

Chi-Chi was floored by this enough to take a step forward. "Seriously? Vegeta… this is the same _Vegeta_ we're talking about right?" When Raditz and Goku nodded, she only laughed and shook her head. "So, Vegeta is basically in love, and we're going to get to watch him make a damned fool of himself?" She laughed harder when both men nodded again. "Oh, Kami, that's worth it alone. Come on in and eat, Raditz."

She turned around at the table when she heard him coming in through the door, and scowled one more time. "Just so we're clear, though, if you touch my son… or even look at him wrong, I'll cut your nuts off where you stand."

"Oh, we're clear, woman." Raditz smiled at Gohan, who was still hiding behind his mother's skirts. "Brat, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Mom?" Gohan asked hesitantly.

"He swore on his tail, son," Goku said brightly. "I'm pretty sure that's a promise that he can't break. He's just here to eat and sleep, he'll be sparring with me during the days, I suspect."

"You can spar with us, too, brat. You're way past the age to be trained. How old are you? Ten? On Vegeta-sai, you would have started the moment you could walk."

Gohan nodded. "Mr. Piccolo trained me, though, after you killed my daddy," he said flatly. He straightened his back bravely, the gesture stating clearly that he wouldn't let such a thing happen ever again if he could help it.

"Gohan's pretty strong," Goku said brightly, "don't underestimate him just because he's small."

"Enough fight talk already!" Chi-Chi ordered, setting the last of the food on the table. Thank God she always cooked extra for her mate's midnight snack, since she was feeding an extra Saiyan. Goku would just have to make something for himself in the wee hours of the morning for once in his life.

**I wanted to extend a big thank you to all of my faithful readers who have expressed support for me in their most recent reviews. You guys are fucking awesome. You guys are the reason I keep busting out chapters. Even when I can't breathe. **

**So, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and to ANYONE who thinks that Vegeta's reaction to Usagi was out of character… kiss my ass. He cried on the fucking show, for God's sake. Don't remember it? Watch the Frieza saga. The man can show emotion, it just doesn't happen horribly often. And in this fic, it pretty much only happens in front of Usagi.**

**Next chapter: Althea!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Still sick, got to go to the ED on Sunday. My super sent me straight from reporting for duty, after taking my vitals and finding my temp at 100.8 and my pulse ox at 88%, pulse at 109. That's bad, for those of you not in nursing. And of course, the usual line, "Megan… can we not go ONE Sunday? Just ONE fucking Sunday, without sending an employee to the fucking ED!? Jesus Christ woman, I'm surprised you ain't falling over!" Short version of this story, one Sunday, a couple months ago, I had to help perform CPR on Betty, that exact same super. She reacted to a Lidocaine patch, not knowing she was allergic, and went into anaphylaxsis. Carlene, another nurse, and I saved her life. Two weeks later, it's me and Betty again, and we scoop a diabetic off the floor with sugar at 13. My dad had severe diabetes, so despite me being a tech, I was actually mostly in charge during that whole episode, since I deal with that sort of thing on a bi-weekly basis. Then again, two weeks later, and so on, and so on. I just told Betty, "Hey, I guess it's my turn," even though I sounded like Stevie from Malcolm in the Middle when I said it. Now I'm all doped up on lots and lots of cough meds and though I feel like crap, I really don't care. YAY OPIATES! I LOVES YOU!**

_**Nine weeks prior to Usagi's landing on Earth…**_

"Damn your eyes, Sets, it's just one Saiyan," the sandy-haired woman said in a hushed tone. "We can take him."

"Yeah, but before he hits the panic button on his scouter and brings the whole armada down on us once more? Serenity will have our heads."

"No, she won't. She needs us to get the city aboveground again," she snickered.

"Just one Saiyan, huh, Ruka?" Sets snapped quietly. "He's talking to someone on his scouter right now. See?"

They watched as the Saiyan frowned, almost like he was worried about something, and looked around him, turning slowly in a circle. Then he yelled something in Saiyan. Both women jumped when the ground shook to the east of them. "What the fuck was that?" Ruka asked.

"Another earthmover, I think," Sets replied.

"MAKO!" The Saiyan yelled.

Ruka and Sets both jumped when the ground trembled again. "Did he just say Mako?"

"I think he did. No way she's gone traitor. Not in a million fucking years. She'd be crushing this guy if he was an enemy."

"But he's _Saiyan_, Sets! How do we know that he's not here to make sure no one survived?"

Sets snorted and shook her head, and looked through her binoculars. "I'm pretty sure he's not. He's an older warrior; most of the Saiyan purge squads are made up of younger second and third class Saiyans. This guy's Elite, they're sent for important missions. Purges that are very difficult, and never alone. They'd send a whole squad, equipped with moonlight machines."

"Ok, seriously. How in the hell do you know he's older, they all look the damned same. And how do you know he's Elite?"

"Gods, Ruka. I love you, but you have no eye for detail. He has veteran tattoos on his arms for wars thirty years ago, including a fresher one for the fight against Frieza. He wasn't even here for the siege, he was on Vegeta-sai. He's also got an Elite mark on his army tat. And he's big. Saiyans get bigger as they get older. Duh. I'd put him in his forties. Most of the bastards here for the siege were in their early twenties."

"Bardock!"

Both women went silent at that and gaped when Mako crested the hill, out of breath from running. "It's her. Mako's really here." Ruka grabbed Sets and jerked her back into the rocks when she moved to reveal herself.

"Not yet," she hissed. "Hang on." Ruka and Sets both gasped when the Saiyan grabbed the thundershaker by the arm and drug her into his embrace to kiss her thoroughly. And Mako seemed to not only be submitting to it, but she was kissing him back just as passionately. "What the fuck."

The Saiyan's head snapped up, and he looked directly towards them. Shit, apparently he'd heard them. Damned Saiyan hearing.

"Wait, Bardock," they heard Mako say quickly, "it could be someone I know. It'd have to be another earthmover if everyone's underground. Hiro!?" She called hopefully, her eyes filling with tears.

Sets sighed when the Saiyan kissed Mako's shoulder comfortingly and said something softly in Saiyan when she started tearing up. "Ruka, this guy's no threat. He's clearly mated with Mako."

"Ruka!? Sets!? Anyone? Please, we really don't mean any harm, I just want to know if anyone's alive!"

"I'm going out."

"Sets, no!" Ruka shouted, jumping out of the rocks to drag the olive-haired earthmover back into what little cover they had.

"SETS! RUKA!" Mako ran right at them, and threw herself into the arms of the older earthmover, crying openly at just what their presence meant.

Sets held her tightly, letting her bawl on her shoulder until she was finally crying softly and hiccupping. "Please don't tell me you're the only surviving Althean on Vegeta-sai," she said grimly.

"No! Gods, no, it's just that they found out I was an earthmover, and I was being treated kind of badly by Bardock's neighbors, and—oh gods, I'm so rude. Bardock, come here!" Mako cried happily, waving him over. "These are my cousins, Sets and Ruka. They're both earthmovers on my father's side of the family. Ruka's got the double-gift, though, she's also a windtalker."

"You told me," Bardock replied pleasantly, approaching them carefully. The sandy-haired woman was staring him down like she wanted to bury him alive, and it took every ounce of willpower not to hover a little out of self-preservation. He nodded to both of the women in respect. "I'm Bardock. Mako's mate."

"You married a Saiyan," Ruka spat. It wasn't a question.

Mako blinked at her and looked like she was going to cry again as she backed up into her mate's arms, who began whispering something in Saiyan in her ear. "We felt the pull," she finally answered. "I love him, and I'm happy. That's all that should matter." She stood up straight and glared at Ruka. "And for the record, Ruka, Reiko's daughter is mated to Turles."

"But she's half-Saiyan, so it doesn't count."

"Ami's mated to Nappa, and Mina's mated to Broly. There are a couple other girls that have mated to Saiyans since we were captured. Hell, Ami's even pregnant, she's due in like, a month. So Ruka? Shut the fuck up."

"Actually, beloved," Bardock rumbled, "you're pregnant, too." He smirked a little when she turned her head and her eyes got as big as saucers. "I was waiting to tell you but…" he gave a little one-shouldered shrug. "I thought it best to tell you before you got into a fight with your cousin."

"You couldn't have told me this sooner?"

"Every time I tried to, we were kind of busy, woman."

"Busy?"

"You weren't complaining," he answered smugly.

"Sorry to interrupt this touching moment, but I'd rather not listen to you talking about fucking a Saiyan," Ruka snapped.

Sets punched her sister in the arm and frowned. "Ruka, do me a favor? Just shut the fuck up for once in your life. They're in love, and they're having a baby. And you're a bitch."

Mako didn't know whether to blush or grin, so she did a little of both. "Thanks, Sets."

"How far along?" Sets asked Bardock.

He nodded at her in respect for addressing him directly. "About three weeks. It's a boy brat."

"Three weeks!" Mako yelled at him, more surprised than upset. "We were not 'busy' for three weeks straight, Bardock!"

He shrugged a little awkwardly. "Sorry," he grunted, "it's been twenty-eight years since I've found out my mate was having a brat, Mako. I was a little overwhelmed by the idea."

"Turles is going to have a shitfit. Undeniable proof that daddy dearest is having sex. He's going to puke all over my floor, and I'm going to have to clean it up."

"I'll tell him outside," Bardock snickered, "I won't let him mess up your floors."

Mako rolled her eyes and huffed as she turned back to her cousins. "Men," she snorted. "So, Sets, everyone was brought back, just like everyone on Vegeta-sai?" She asked hopefully.

"Everyone that was killed in the siege," she replied carefully. "But… there have been some losses in the last few months," she added gently.

"Who?" The brunette whispered, knowing by her cousin's tone and body language that it was someone she was close to. "It… was it Hiro?"

Surprisingly, Ruka was the one to step forward and envelop her shorter cousin tightly in her arms. "No, Mako, your brothers are fine. It was your mother and father. There… there was a methane pocket when they were below, scoping out some caverns to lower the cities into, and…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Your father died a hero," Sets said firmly. "If it wasn't for his quick thinking, shoving the ground up the way he did, hundreds more down there with him would have died, too."

"I tried to save them," Ruka whispered, "but I couldn't get to them in time, Mako. I'm so sorry."

Bardock ached to hold her and comfort her when she burst into a violent fit of tears, but he settled for doing it through their bond, letting her know that he was there for her if she needed him. He wasn't going to interrupt Ruka just when she had stopped behaving like a total bitch.

Once she could control herself without erupting into sobs again, Mako ifted her head and sniffled. "I want to see my brothers," she croaked. "Take us to them, please."

Ruka shook her head, but her tone was far from nasty when she answered. "The Saiyan stays here, Mako. Sorry."

The brunette tore herself from her cousin's grasp and backed into her mate's arms, accepting what little comfort he could give her at the moment. "Bardock is my mate, and I love him. I'm not leaving him up here, and that's final."

"Even though it's for a totally different reason, I whole-heartedly agree with my sister," Sets interrupted, before her and Ruka had the chance to start arguing again. "What do you think all of our people are going to do when they see a Saiyan in the capitol city, huh? Even an Elite can't take out that many Altheans singlehandedly."

"Beloved, I will be just fine up here while you visit your family. You need to see them, I can feel it through the bond. I'll just go back to the ship, report, and get some rest. If I need you, or you need me, we'll just use the bond to call out."

"I—I know that, Bardock, but I want you with me," Mako replied softly.

"Tell you what. You go with your cousins and see your family, and when you get back, I'll give you a massage. I recall a healer once mentioning to me that it's good for the brat, especially when the mother's under a lot of stress."

She nodded reluctantly, but not because of his offer… though it was a very nice offer. She needed to pay her respects to her parents, and properly mourn them, surrounded by her brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles.

After a slow, heated kiss that made her feel a little better, Mako followed her cousins into the rocks and held her breath when they all quickly sank into the ground. They came out on a ledge overlooking a large cavern filled with people and buildings. "Ingenious," Mako said softly. "This must have taken every earthmover in the city."

"It did," Ruka agreed, as she called up some earth to form a set of steps that would lead them all down to the floor.

"And the smaller towns?"

"We went and helped them do the same, and left one or two earthmovers stationed to execute the plan if the town didn't have any movers of their own. Windtalkers pull in air from above through holes in the ceiling, several times a day, and walkers summon up water from underground springs throughout the cavern." Ruka beamed a little, obviously proud of her own gifts and the opportunity to be so useful to her people.

"It really is amazing." Mako followed them into the outskirts of the city, smiling at the people that were gathering outside of their homes. They were all returning her smile, once they'd gotten over the shock of seeing her, and a few even darted forward to briefly hug her and tell her how much she'd been missed.

She finally pushed the door open to her childhood home, and called out hoarsely. "I'm home."

Footsteps came from down the hall, and a familiar face greeted her with a look of utter disbelief. "Mako?"

"Hiro," she choked, throwing herself into the arms of the man who looked like a male version of her. "Where's everyone else?"

"Cato and Marcus are out courting their girlfriends, Gaius is with his wife, and Dan's out back; he was helping me in the garden. I thought I felt you getting closer, but Gaius kept telling me not to get my hopes up."

Mako chuckled despite the tears rolling down her face. "He wouldn't understand, he's not a twin."

"No he's not… but there is one thing I don't understand, Mako. It… it feels like I'm sharing that mental link with someone else, now. I felt it about a month ago."

"Mako took a Saiyan husband," Ruka supplied darkly, shaking her head in disapproval.

Hiro sighed and nodded; he'd thought as much. "He treats you well?" He managed a smile when he felt her joy pouring through their link at the thought of her mate. "Then I approve, Mako. As long as he makes you happy, and doesn't hurt you."

"I'm happy with Bardock," she confirmed. "Very happy, thank you." The she sighed and shook her head. "How are you all holding up? Ruka and Sets told me about Mother and Father."

"As well as we can; it could have happened to anyone. Mother went down with him because she was bored, and wanted to help find a suitable hiding place. Father opened up a cavern, and it was full of methane. If he hadn't done what he did…"

"Father was always very brave," Mako whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "Where are they buried?"

"Above, under the tree that was in our backyard. I moved the earth for them myself."

Mako nodded; what he had done was an earthmover's ultimate, final act of love for a relative, and one of the hardest things to do. To see the dirt rolling over a loved one's face, encasing them forever in the dark and the cold… Mako knew without a doubt that she probably wouldn't have been able to do the same thing in her brother's place. "I must speak with Lady Serenity while I'm here. Can you get in touch with the boys and have them all meet here?"

"We can all go together, sister, I've missed you. I'd rather stay by your side." Hiro called Dan in then, who was two years their senior, and immediately dropped his hand spade and scooped Mako into his arms, spinning her in a circle.

"Hiro told us that you were alive, but we didn't want to get our hopes up," he said brightly. He'd always been the cheeriest of the siblings; nothing could get that man down. Everything was a joke, and if he finally found something that wasn't one day, he'd do his damnedest to turn it into one. "So tell me, how many monkeys did you fry to escape?"

Mako chuckled at that shook her head. "I fried during the first few weeks, but I didn't escape. After we were all wished back, the king… he had a change of heart. He set us all free, and told us we were welcome to stay and make our homes on Vegeta-sai, since the delegation he sent here found no signs of life."

"Wait, Mako," Sets said quickly, "let's save you from having to tell this story five times, and head to Serenity's. Then you can tell it in full, ok?"

She definitely agreed with that, and arm-in-arm with two of her brothers, they quickly made tracks to the center of the city, where they were allowed entrance the moment the guards saw the former captive among them.

Mako curtsied when she was brought before Serenity. "Lady, I bring messages for you from Vegeta-sai." She raised a brow, expecting to be questioned immediately, but when nothing came, she continued, and proceeded to tell Serenity about everything that had occurred during her weeks in captivity. "The kings bids me give you a message of peace," she finally finished. "He wants no war between our nations any longer. Any Altheans on Vegeta-sai that wish to return home may do so, and the king will fund the trip. Altheans will also be welcomed with open arms as immigrants."

"Is that all?" The silver-haired woundbinder asked incredulously.

"No, Lady. Your granddaughter also sends word that she would like to meet you when she returns from her mission. She's been sent somewhere that's about two months from here, called Earth, to retrieve the crown prince. She didn't even know about you or her father until several days before she left."

"You've met her. What is she like?"

Mako grinned at that. "She's very Saiyan, but she's also very Althean. She protects those that are weaker than her, she's a very advanced woundbinder, and she's one of the best fighters I've ever seen. And she looks identical to you."

Serenity nodded and took a seat, suddenly feeling very old. "I'd like to meet her if she still wants to come. And you're welcome to stay here, but…" She shook her head.

"But my mate is not," Mako said flatly.

"I believe you when you say that the Saiyans mean us no harm, but I can't simply force our people to believe that. It will have to come in time, and I can't guarantee Bardock's safety around the clock. I can't be everywhere at once, child."

Mako nodded. "Understood." She looked at the ground for a moment, her jaw tightening as she made her decision. "My mate wanted us to move here so that I wouldn't be persecuted among his people for being an earthmover." Then her back straightened as she looked the Althean queen in the eye. "I'm prepared to do the same for him. I won't live among my own people for them to be just as bad as the Saiyans; it wouldn't be right. We'll continue our journey after a few days' rest, and be out of your hair. Raise the city or leave it below, either way, we'll be staying on our own ship."

##############

Bardock sighed with relief when he felt his mate aboveground once again, quickly striding back to their ship. She was troubled and upset, as expected, so when she came onto the small bridge he held her tightly. "Come on, beloved, you should lie down for a while, if only for the brat."

She let him strip her without protest once they were in their quarters, and snuggled tightly against his chest, breathing in the comforting scent of him. "At least my brothers aren't mad," she sighed. "In fact, they'd like to meet you. So does Serenity." Mako looked up in surprise when he slid out from under her, leaving her lying on her stomach, and proceeded to massage her legs.

"I did promise," he said gently. "Close your eyes and sleep for a few hours, beloved. You've had a long day; you can tell me all about IT when you wake up… though I'm glad to hear that all of your male relatives aren't beating their chests and threatening to electrocute me into oblivion."

"Nah. Gaius was a little upset, but that's because he's the oldest and thinks he's in charge of everything. But Hiro told him that he could feel how happy I am through the twin thing we have, so he shut his mouth. Dan might try and beat you up just for entertainment," she added with a shrug. Mako sighed with pleasure when he moved up to her back and expertly rubbed the soreness from the muscles lying against her spine. "Times like this, I really really love you," she mumbled happily.

"Which is always my plan," he chuckled. Bardock continued his gentle ministrations until she dozed off, and then covered her up before returning to the bridge and pressing a few buttons. Vegeta was on his screen in a few moments. "I'm pretty sure things didn't go too well with the Altheans, sire. Mako was distressed when she returned."

"Stress like that can't be good for the brat, either. Would you two return to Vegeta-sai?"

"No," Bardock said flatly. "Maybe one day, but I won't have my mate bothered and harassed because of what she is. I could hear her thoughts through the bond, and she doesn't wish that for me, either. So I suppose we'll continue on the way we're headed."

"Have you considered visiting your son?"

Bardock's eyes lit up a little at that, but he shook his head nervously. "I haven't seen Kakarot since he was an infant. I don't think I'll be well -received, Majesty."

"Well, if Earth isn't pleasing to settle down on, I'm sure you can head on to another planet. Give my son and daughter my regards when you arrive, and do what you can to help that boy claim her," Vegeta added with a grin.

Bardock snorted and smirked a little, looking forward to meddling a little bit in the princess's love-life. Maybe this was where Raditz got it from after all. "When you put it like that… Earth it is, then."

#####################

Rei barely managed to keep the calm, even expression on her face as she stood in the center of the sparring ring and was accepted into the Saiyan Elite, as Broly bared her shoulder. Everyone was there, the whole squad, and even her mother had turned out. Grandpa had wanted to come, but he was still too weak for even a short journey out of the house, so he'd stayed at home. Rei or Turles would accompany her mother home after it was all over.

She looked to her future mate, just a glance, but she saw how his eyes shone with pride, even though his expression was as stony as her own. He'd been unusually sweet and attentive since Usagi's departure, which was surprising; Rei hadn't needed to hit her panic button even once to summon an epic shit-kicking.

Maybe… just maybe… they could celebrate her promotion to Elite that night. Or maybe not. Rei wasn't sure if she was ready for that just yet, but she knew she was getting there.

She spaced out for the rest of the ceremony, deep in thought about Turles, but made sure to pay enough attention to say the required words whenever Broly asked them of her. It was over quickly, since Saiyans weren't much for long, drawn-out speeches, and the Elite quickly joined her in the circle to offer their congratulations.

"Oh, Rei! I'm so proud of you!" Reiko exclaimed, shoving her way through the wall of brawn that surrounded her daughter. "Your father… he'd be so proud of you, too."

Rei hugged her tightly and smiled. "Thank you, Mother. I'll try to be worthy of such an honor," she said gently. She lifted her head when a low growl came from her left, where her mother's face was resting on her shoulder, and looked up. "What?" She asked, wondering why in the name of the gods Paragus was growling at her. He'd always seemed like a fairly kind and reasonable warrior, always offering assistance or coaching during her training, even as a brat.

Paragus just continued to emit that low growl, and pushed his way past his son and Nappa as he stalked towards the newly tattooed female Elite.

Shoving her mother behind her, Rei took a fighting stance. She didn't know what the hell was going on, but every movement that Broly's father was making screamed aggression and dominance, and she would be ready for it at all costs. "Move, girl," he grunted at her.

"Why?" Rei snapped.

Reiko looked around her daughter, and her violet orbs widened when she made eye contact with the older Saiyan warrior… and felt a sharp tug deep in her gut. She knew that tug all too well, she'd felt it years before, for Rei's father. "Oh shit," she whispered.

"Mine," he growled softly, as he reached around Rei to tug her mother to him.

Rei moved quickly to defend her mother and shoved Paragus back a good bit before yelling at Reiko to run, and at Turles to take her home immediately. "Carry her!" She ordered, "Mother can't fly as fast as we can!"

Turning back to her opponent, Rei mentally prepared herself for a fight, but found that it had already been taken care of. Broly had a tight sleeper hold on his father, and Nappa was standing close in case the Second of the Elite needed his help in subduing the hormonal Saiyan. Broly sighed in frustration as he carefully lowered his unconscious father to the ground, then turned his gaze on Rei.

"Thank you, Commander," she said gratefully, nodding her head in respect.

"You won't thank me for long. Father's sixty-four, Rei. He can't fight the pull like Turles or me. It'll be like what happened with Nappa. And the longer he waits, the greater the chance he could get violent." Broly chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully. "I can give you a couple days. Maybe three or four. But I can only guarantee you two. I can't be everywhere at once, you know."

"I can guard mother until she's ready," Rei said without hesitation. "And I'm sure Turles will help. You won't beat the fuck out of him for defending my mother's wishes, will you?"

He ground his teeth before shaking his head. "I don't like him in the slightest, but no. She's his mother, too, even if you aren't mated to him just yet. He has every right to defend her."

Rei nodded in relief. "Broly… I've been meaning to ask you… why do you hate Turles so much?"

He shrugged, as if he really didn't have a good excuse. And frankly, he didn't. "It's something about the way he looks, and the sound of his voice. It grates my nerves to no damned end. It reminds me of someone… I just don't know who. I know it's not a good reason, but that's the best I can do. I've never been able to put my finger on it."

"I guess that'll have to do," she hedged, "even though this means you two will be brothers once my mother goes to your father," she added with a mean little smirk.

Broly groaned at that and rolled his eyes. "Don't fucking remind me, woman." After another moment, he tipped his head toward her mother's home. "Dismissed. Inform Reiko of my promise. Two days, that's the best I can do."

Rei took off immediately, and found her mother trembling, sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of what was probably something much stronger than tea. Never mind that it was only ten in the morning, she had just suffered a very stressful experience. "Broly promised two days at the very most, Mother. After that, we're on our own."

Reiko bravely shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Your father was a little stronger than Paragus, so I know I can take him if it comes down to it. I held your father off for a long time, remember?"

"Yeah, but you were three years younger than I am now, Mother!"

"And I'm in my prime, now. I may be out of practice, girl, but I can still hold my own in a straight fight. Anyway, that's one option. The other is that I go to him," she added in a whisper.

Turles shook his head and shushed Rei when she shook her head and opened her mouth to loudly protest such an idea. "Listen to your mother, Rei. She knows Saiyan men better than you think, and I can't help but agree with her, despite how much I dislike Paragus's son."

"Maybe when you're my age, Rei, you'll understand, but I pray to the gods that you'll never have to endure what I have. I felt the pull for your father, same as I did today. Losing him… it was like losing half of myself, and it was unbearable. Ask your grandfather, he took care of you while I grieved for months. And it took me years to learn how to cope without that bond, to not have your father in my head to comfort me when I was upset, or to banter with back and forth throughout the day.

"I miss that, Rei," her mother finished sadly, "and now I have a chance to have that again. And to have the companionship that I once had with your father. The sex would be nice too, I have to admit. I haven't taken a man to bed since your father."

"Ew," Rei and Turles said at once.

Reiko managed a tiny chuckle at that, bolstered by the liquor in her coffee. "You won't think so when you finally experience it, Rei. Mating with a warrior that you've felt the pull for… it's a beautiful thing. You'll know soon enough, I'm sure."

"So you'll go to him?" Rei asked tersely, trying not to sound as upset as she felt.

"Broly promised two days, yes? I'll take those two days to think it over, and make my decision. But it will be my decision alone, you hear me? I don't want to hear any bitching and moaning if and when I go to him willingly. And if that's the case, you can stay here in this house, since I'm sure Paragus will insist on me moving in with him. And Father will be coming with me."

"You thought all of that through already, woman?" Turles asked in surprise.

"That's my mom," Rei snorted with a shrug. "She sees everything from all angles in a matter of minutes. Big decisions that would take me weeks to make, take only a day or so for her." She turned back to her mother. "Does Grandpa know about this?"

"He's napping; I'll tell him when he's awake. And for the record, Rei, I didn't always think things through so quickly. I was a lot like you at your age. That's why it took your father so long to claim me," Reiko added with a smile. "Your scouter please."

Rei handed it over without question, knowing exactly who her mother was going to call. "I hope you're sure about this, Mother."

"I will be in a couple days." Reiko donned the piece of equipment and gave it a few orders in Saiyan before Broly came onto her screen. "How is he?"

"Still unconscious. I choked him out. Father… he didn't scare you too badly, did he?" Broly looked down in embarrassment and shook his head a little.

"Yes, but I was more surprised than afraid, Broly. When he wakes, tell him for me that I'll have a decision for him in a couple of days. If he could wait that long, I would be very appreciative."

Genuinely surprised by the fact that she wasn't outright rejecting his father, Broly nodded. "I'm sure that message will make him feel a lot better, woman. I'll keep him away until then… or, I'll try my best, at least."

"Understood. Thank you, Broly." Reiko handed the scouter back to her daughter then, and went back to her drink, refilling it when she realized it was empty. "He's a nice young man," she finally said.

"Broly? Yeah, he's alright," Rei agreed.

"You need anything, Reiko? Since you're going to be holed up here for a while, Rei and I could go get you the groceries you need," Turles offered. "If Paragus is going to be out for a bit, that is."

"Yes, thank you. Broly said that he was still unconscious, so I should be just fine for an hour. You kids go spend some time together." Reiko quickly wrote up a list of necessities and handed it to her daughter. "And don't forget your grandfather's medicine, alright?"

#####################

_**Earth, 9 weeks later**_

Just as Vegeta had expected, she came stumbling into his bedroom after only three hours, red-eyed and exhausted. He was sleeping soundly, and despite the fact that he'd always been a light sleeper, Usagi's scent did something to him, just as it always had, that kept him from even bothering to wake up. She snuggled in against him tightly, wrapping an arm and her tail around his chest, and immediately passed out.

When Vegeta woke in the morning, he found himself effectively pinned to the bed when he tried to rise, and turned his head to find a pile of blonde hair and soft curves tucked against him. He merely laid back, closing his eyes in the first moment of pure contentment that he'd felt in sixteen years, while he simply let the feeling of nostalgia wash over him.

It wasn't a dream this time, and he knew it. She was real. Really real, and warm, and curvy, and perfect. And here.

Usagi murmured softly in Saiyan when she felt a rock hard body shift slightly, and a large, calloused hand pushed her hair away from her face. "Vegeta," she sighed.

He closed his eyes for a moment to get a handle on his self-control. The Saiyan in him was rising up, demanding that he claim the gorgeous little warrior that had the balls to climb into bed with a man like him. And the way she'd just said his name… Kami, it had sounded almost like a whisper of desire. Thank the gods that he had a willpower stronger than most other warriors'.

Once he'd regained some control, he turned to face her, only to feel that control slip when her soft, perfect chest pressed against his. He grinned as an idea occurred to him, and immediately closed his eyes before brushing his lips against hers. Vegeta was surprised to feel her tail tighten around him in response, and dared to kiss her again, just a little firmer, taking his time to taste her, flicking his tongue over her lips. He moaned when she returned it, sliding her tongue into his mouth to tangle with his, and found himself bunching his fist in her hair and moving his hips against hers.

He growled a little when she pulled away, and tried to tug her back to him. Damn it, he wanted more. She tasted like… Kami, he couldn't even think of a damned comparison. She was the best thing he'd ever tasted in his life, and he wanted to glut himself just on her mouth. The dreams hadn't done the real her any justice whatsoever. "Vegeta?" He cracked his eyes open slowly at the sound of the tremor of fear in her voice.

"Hm?" He thankfully remembered his plan in time, in order to keep from taking her. Baby steps, damn it. Good things come to those whose wait. _**Great **_things come to those who wait… but have a battle plan, too. "What's wrong, woman? Nightmare?" He asked, feigning sleepiness. He tried to tug her back to him, and opened his eyes again when she stiffened and pulled away. "What?"

"You were kissing me, that's what!" She snapped. "What the fuck, Vegeta!?"

He snorted in feigned disbelief. "Maybe you dreamed it." That only made him grin. "Was little Usa having a wet dream about me?" He laughed when she smacked his chest indignantly. "Hey, not like I can blame you, woman, I know how fucking great I look." He rolled onto his back then and stretched his arms, folding them with his hands behind his head.

"You are such an ass!" She snapped. "From now on, keep your hands and mouth off of me when I'm sleeping, damn it!"

He grinned at her and just shook his head. "Woman, you're the one that crawled into _my_ bed in the middle of the night. I'm a grown warrior, and I haven't had a piece of ass in something like five years. So, for the sake of argument, if I had made a move on you _**in my sleep,**_ it's hardly my damned fault."

Usagi opened her mouth to argue, only to realize that he was absolutely right. As much as she wished they were, the simple fact remained that they weren't brats anymore. She commanded enough men to know what would happen if a woman crawled into bed with one of them in the middle of the night. She was lucky she hadn't just been pinned to the mattress and claimed. "Sorry," she said softly. "I won't climb in your bed anymore. I should have thought about that when I woke up last night. Sorry," she said again, blushing profusely.

Vegeta just watched her go, and realized only too late that his plan had just backfired. Fuck! She wasn't going to climb into bed with him anymore!? Fuck, fuck, fuck! That was the _last _thing he wanted! He slid out of bed, used the bathroom, and shrugged on a pair of shorts to train in before padding across the hall to her room and knocking. "Usa."

"I'm decent," she called.

Vegeta turned the knob to find her dressed in a black tank top and a black pair of loose Saiyan army pants, her tattoo standing out sharply against her pale skin, and her hair tied back loosely in a braid. "Look, woman, I know how shitty you sleep at night." He held up a hand to silence her when she opened her mouth to argue. "Just wake me up when you come in, so I'll know it's you. I remember how bad it got when Father forbade you from sleeping with me."

Usagi nodded reluctantly. She remembered all too well how hard her training had gotten after the first month of three hours of sleep every night, how she'd crawled into bed bloody and bruised, only to get another measly three hours of rest. Then she'd get up and wander, not daring to go against the king's order, even at the tender age of eight. She'd show up early for training, with bags under her bloodshot eyes, only to be too exhausted to focus on her sparring partners. Nappa had beaten the hell out of her more than once.

Finally, Vegeta had risked his father's wrath and had started sneaking into _her_ bed at night, so that she couldn't be held at fault if they were found tangled up in each other's arms in the morning. It was the most wonderful, selfless thing that anyone had ever done for her. "Thank you, Geta. And I'm sorry I yelled at you. It just startled me, waking up with your tongue in my mouth," she added dryly.

"So that's what I taste. Damn woman, go brush your teeth," he deadpanned, and grinned when she threw her hairbrush at him. He caught it in one hand and ducked out of the room before she could find something to break over his head.

###############

"She looks rested," Raditz said with approval. "She slept with you, I take it?"

Vegeta smirked and nodded. "You were right about those nightgowns, too. They don't do much to hide anything. It took everything I had not to claim her."

"Told you so," Raditz said flatly.

"Hey, everyone!" Goku said brightly, landing next to Usagi. "Did you settle in alright, Princess?"

Usagi's head snapped up and she stared at Raditz murderously. There was only one way that Goku could've assumed that she was royalty. "I'm not a princess, Kakarot. Princesses wear frilly dresses and hit like girls." Damn it all the to hell, she'd tolerated that title long enough on Vegeta-sai, she was not going to endure it off-world.

"Then you're definitely a princess," Vegeta snorted in Saiyan.

"Well, that's the Saibaman calling the Namek…" Usagi snorted right back.

"Woman, are you saying that I, the Prince of all Saiyans, hits like a girl!?"

"No, I'm saying that you, the _Princess_ of all Saiyans hits like—" Usagi laughed as she barely dodged his fist in time, and grabbed his arm to flip him onto his back. He was too furious at the slight to his pride for her to easily take him on, though, so she found herself rocketing into the air, building up her ki as he chased her, waiting for the right time to strike.

Oh, Kami, when he caught that little whelp, he was going to pound her into the ground. He finally caught up with her, grabbed her by the ankle, and threw her down, hurtling towards the ground. She was a lot stronger than she used to be, though, and she quickly righted herself thirty feet above the spectators. "You throw like one, too, woman!" She shouted up at him.

"You bitch!" He snapped, and wasted no time in powering up his ki.

"No, Vegeta!" Goku shouted from the ground, just as the prince's hands stretched out in front of him, his fingers curled inwards. He shoved his brother with an order to get out of the line of fire, but before he could leap to Usagi's defense, he saw the tiny blonde raising her arms above her own head, where a substantial amount of silver ki was building. "Oh, shit…" He quickly erected a ki shield around himself to absorb any damage.

"FINAL FLASH!"

"ANTUMBRA!"

The impact was so loud that Goku couldn't hear anything for a few moments after the blast, and there were little dots of light in front of his eyes from the brightness of it all.

Vegeta sat up from where he'd landed, mostly unscathed. The recoil from the explosion had merely knocked him unconscious for a few moments. "Oh fuck. Usagi?" He groaned. He looked around, trying to find her through the cloud of dust that they'd kicked up, but he couldn't see ten feet in front of him. "Usa?" It dawned on him exactly what had happened, and he felt a flicker of panic when he realized that he had lost his temper with the one person he'd always sworn to protect. He searched for her ki, and finding it extremely low and stationary, he rushed towards it.

She was laying on the ground, still unconscious, a little trickle of blood coming from the corner of her mouth. "Usagi, wake up," he ordered, shaking her soundly. When he rolled her over and still got no response, he double-checked her pulse. Ok, she was just out cold. "Usa, wake up!" He said, this time a little louder. "I'm sorry, woman, just wake up!" He snarled in Saiyan.

Usagi was surprised to hear the panic in his voice, and totally forgot that she was supposed to be acting, waiting to pounce and punch the shit out of him. She cracked one eye open and saw the naked relief flood his face for a moment before it turned into his usual, unfeeling mask. "I'm fine, Geta," she grumbled. "You still hit like a fucking girl," she said with a smirk.

Vegeta rolled his eyes and sat back on his heels. "Well, you're being a bitch again, I'm sure that means you're alright."

"Get it right, Geta. I'm _**the **_bitch." They both grinned, and she shook her head. "You going to teach me that move?"

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," he answered suggestively, his grin turning into a sexy smirk.

"Pervert. That's no way to talk to your sister."

"Not my sister," he mumbled for the millionth time in his life. "Now get off your lazy ass, woman. Break's over."

"Holy shit!" Goku exclaimed, when he ran up to find Vegeta helping Usagi to her feet. "That was awesome, Usagi! I mean, I knew what Vegeta could do, but you just took on a Final Flash and _**walked away from it!**_"

While she was pleased to finally get some praise for all of her training with Tarble's mate, she merely shrugged in typical Saiyan fashion. "I felt you coming to my rescue," she said with a touch of humor. "You thought you could survive it?"

It was Goku's turn to shrug, and he couldn't keep a proud grin off of his face. "I've walked away from quite a few of them."

"Bullshit," she said simply. "You're only third-class. There's no way you'd survive a hit from an Elite."

"Kami, you _are _Vegeta's sister," he laughed.

"_Not_ my sister, Kakarot!" Vegeta fumed.

"Am," Usagi teased, happy that someone else could get under Vegeta's skin and survive it.

"Not."

"Am."

"Not!"

"Am, am, am, am, am."

"NOT! NOT! **NOT!** Don't make me tape your fucking mouth shut!"

"Well, you sure fight like brother and sister," Goku said bluntly, trying his hardest not to laugh at the exchange.

"See? Kakarot agrees, Geta!" She grinned and dodged when he swung at her, but sobered when she saw that he was genuinely angry, and not just annoyed with her. What in the hell had gotten into him? Ok, they weren't brats anymore, and they'd both been through a lot since they'd been separated, but Vegeta knew her well enough to know when she was just teasing him, right? "Vegeta," she said softly, "don't be mad at me."

He saw the worry in her eyes and immediately tamped down on his anger. "I'm not," he half-lied. He was more angry at himself for ever agreeing to go with Frieza. Given, his father could have flatly ordered him to do so, and he would have done it, but he'd agreed in exchange for… ugh, better not to think about that shit. What was done was done, and given the chance, he'd still make the same decision he'd made back then.

Determined to break the tension, Goku chimed in, focusing on something he'd been wanting to ask about all morning. "Usagi, what does your tattoo mean?"

"Huh?" She turned from her quiet study of the man who was not her brother to the much taller third-class warrior. "Oh, that. It's my rank, house, and squad. All Saiyan warriors have one." She shook her head when Goku glanced at Vegeta's blank shoulder. "He was off-planet when he came of age."

"Oh. How do you get one?"

Usagi shrugged. "You automatically get one when you come of age. Usually someone in your squad that has skill with an ink needle does it, or in my case, Father had to do it, since I couldn't tattoo myself. I felt pretty honored for His Majesty to personally give me my ink," she said with pride.

"Father actually did your tattoo? I thought the old man hated you."

Usagi shrugged. "Radu and I swung by Vegeta-sai on our way here, and Father saw how I sparred. He demanded a match with me, and afterwards, put me in command of the Elite."

Vegeta just gaped, but he slowly grinned. "Did you put the old man in the dirt?" He asked mischievously.

"Oh, you'd better fucking believe it, Geta. He put up a pretty good fight, though, for all of ten minutes. I guess seeing that I wasn't completely worthless made him warm up to me. He even told me to call him Father. And he seemed almost pleased to do my ink, frankly."

"Damn, woman, let me take a look at that." Vegeta wiped the dirt from her shoulder, and sure enough, there was a very tiny glyph in her tattoo. It was his father's signature. His jaw twitched, but he managed to keep his face blank when he found a few more glyphs, hidden very well among her rank and house. He felt a surge of triumph as he read them. Those glyphs marked her as a princess and consort of the royal house of Vegeta-sai, particularly belonging to the crowned prince. His father had sent him a message, knowing that Usagi would find him on Chikyuu.

The old man had kept his promise.

**BWAHAHAHAHA! CLIFFHANGER, BITCHES!**

**I just have one question. I know Ana gets it, but did anyone else get the inside joke about why Broly hates Turles? If you didn't, it's ok. I just thought I'd stick it in there for shits and giggles since it would make TOTAL sense.**

**Deva: Seeeee? You still got some Earth time. I'm gonna alternate back and forth, and everything should come together eventually. And YES! I'M SO GLAD YOU NOTICED THAT! USAGI **_**DID**_** FEEL THE PULL, BUT SHE DENIED IT! I'M SO FUCKING GLAD SOMEONE PICKED UP ON THAT! And I hope you get your shit fixed soon, since you pick up on so much stuff that I don't think other people do! Come back soon!**

**Crispywheat: As always, thank for reviewing!**

**Ana: Bardock is the man when it comes to his house, I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

**Krissy: Vegeta is about to show the patience of a fucking saint in the next few chapters. And no problem, I got so many wonderful reviews for 13 that I felt compelled to give yall an extra chapter!**

**Selene A: Yeah, Usa went to bed alone, but she wound up sleeping with Vegeta in the end, lol. Come on, we all knew that was gonna happen. And yup, Serenity's there, they'll meet waaaaay further into the story.**

**Chibi: Hey, after all those tickle fights that she lost as a brat to Vegeta, he had one loss coming to him. And Chi-Chi is the shits. And Vegeta… he'll get pretty creative, methinks. **

**RoF: Damn, so many positive reviews for Chi-Chi! Hot damn, she isn't a main character in what I've got written out so far (an awful lot, just needs editing), but I'm seriously thinking about making her a bigger presence! And good, I'm glad I'm inspiring you! Update, damn it!**


	16. Chapter 16

**GOD, I can't believe how fast I got this typed up! WOW! Yeah, I have the VxU stuff already written, and some of another pair that you'll discover later on, but everything else is written from my memory except for little snippets. And of course, I have to go through the pre-written stuff and change things as my storyline's skewed a little. So if you find continuity errors, please let me know! My Beta is only one person!**

_**9 weeks before Earth**_

"Mother, are you really sure about this?" Rei asked, practically wringing her hands in her worry.

"Rei, I'm not a virgin," Reiko snorted, "and I know how to handle a Saiyan male, thank you very much. Turles, you'll take care of her?"

Before Rei could protest that she was a grown warrior, Turles nodded. "Of course. And don't worry about Grandpa, we've got it covered."

Reiko smiled gratefully and nodded. "So… how do I look?"

Even Rei had to admit that her mother looked stunning; she was always beautiful without any effort, the same as herself, but when she put an effort into it, she could stop any man dead in his tracks. "You're going to give that poor man a heart attack," she finally muttered. Hell, all those ties that Rei had helped her with were going to give the man a heart attack on their own.

Turles pretty much said the same, and then baited Rei by asking her if she'd be that gorgeous in twenty years. To which she smacked him on the arm. He figured he was making progress; two weeks ago she would have set his tail on fire for the same comment.

Reiko opened the door when a knock came, and smiled gently at Broly.

"Father sent me to ask for you decision," he said a little nervously. Gods, he did not want to be the messenger if the answer was no; his father had been difficult enough to deal with during the last forty-eight hours. Never mind that Broly was several times stronger than him.

Reiko took her sub-space from her daughter and gave Broly a reassuring grin. "It's alright, boy, you won't have to be the bearer of bad news." She laughed when he visibly relaxed and sighed with relief. "Has he been that unbearable?"

"He's been climbing the damned walls, woman. Practically night and day. He won't sleep, and he'll barely eat anything. I've been dreading the idea of you refusing him…" Broly scowled at that and shook his head. "I know how he was when we lost Mother. I don't want to see him go through that sort of thing again; it nearly killed him. "

Reiko and Rei both gave him understanding smiles; Broly clearly cared a great deal about his father. "Well then, brother… best not keep Paragus waiting too long," the younger of the two advised. Rei kissed her mother on the cheek. "Good luck, and try not to set his tail on fire."

"I'd tell you the same, but I'm sure you'll still be unmated when I return," Reiko snorted. She winked at Turles, and hoped that the boy would seduce the shit out of her daughter during her absence. "Come on, boy," she snorted at Broly, "best not keep the man waiting much longer, or he'll think I took off on the first transport I could find."

Reiko couldn't fly as fast as a Saiyan warrior, so Broly was polite and simply kept pace with her, answering questions about his father, what kind of foods he liked, and what kind of man he was. He was downright grateful when they finally landed, and frankly amazed not to see his father waiting impatiently outside the front door. "You call if you need anything," Broly said with a touch of nerves, praying to the gods that his father wouldn't accidentally hurt her while overcome with that sometimes-violent Saiyan lust.

"Boy, I'll be just fine," she assured him. "You go train or something, and bring dinner home later. I'm sure I won't have time to cook anything today." Reiko shooed him off at that and let herself in. "Paragus?" She asked, unable to hide the nervousness from her voice. When no answer came, Reiko removed her shoes and wandered her way into the kitchen, where she fixed two cups of tea.

She chuckled when she heard footsteps several minutes later. "And here I was expecting to be greeted at the door and claimed in full Saiyan fashion," she teased. Reiko couldn't help the little gasp of pleasure that left her mouth when she felt his nose brushing against her jaw from behind as he breathed in her scent. "I made you some tea."

Grasping at every bit of restraint he could muster, Paragus sat next to his soon-to-be-mate and sipped at his tea, while he avoided looking at her. If he did, he knew he'd lose it. "I was in the shower," he finally said, "that's why I didn't hear you come in. And since you have almost no detectable ki…"

"I know," Reiko snickered. "It still annoys my daughter to this day. My first mate found it equally infuriating."

"Your daughter will be keeping your place?"

"Yes, she can take care of herself, as you well know. I'm sure Turles will move in with her, since it's bigger than his home. But my father…" Reiko glanced at him, momentarily wondering if he would tolerate a sick elderly man in his home.

"Broly has informed me about Hiroto, and I assure you that I have no problem with him staying here, with us. How old is he?"

"Three hundred and five. He's a tough old bastard, he'll likely see three-ten, I have no doubt." She took his mug when she noticed it was empty, and went about the motions of refilling it.

Paragus wrapped his arms around her from behind and nipped at the back of her neck. "Woman, the last thing on my mind right now is tea," he purred.

Reiko nodded and swallowed hard. "I-I know. I'm just nervous… it's been a long time." Her eyes fluttered shut and she couldn't help but lean into him when his hands began to slowly wander over her. "Bedroom?" She asked softly.

"Unless you'd prefer the kitchen," he quipped, tasting her neck. "I'd much prefer the bedroom, myself."

Reiko was still trembling by the time he got her to the bedroom, despite the fact that he was taking things slow and easy with her. It had been just as long for him since he'd been with a woman, and outside of the Saiyan hormones, he was just as nervous as she was. "Gods, I feel like some sort of stupid teenager," she gasped, pulling away when her head began to spin just from the way he was kissing her. "I need a minute," she said breathlessly, when his tail went around her waist and he drug her back into his arms.

"Relax," Paragus whispered, kissing her gently, "trust me, woman, I'm just as nervous." He kissed her again, long and slow, but stopped when he couldn't untie her dress. "What in the hell is this thing, anyway?"

"It's a traditional firestarter wedding dress," she said smugly. "It's designed to give a reluctant bride a chance to light the groom on fire before he can manage to get her undressed. If a bride is willing, she'll help him with it."

"A little help then, Reiko? Or should I just hike it up around your waist?"

Not totally sure if he was teasing or not, Reiko turned, pulled her hair up on top of her head, and pointed to a tie at her neck. "You pull that one first." She shivered when his mouth trailed over the skin that the silk had covered. "Now… mmm, if you want me to tell you how to get this thing off, you really need to stop that."

Paragus chuckled in her ear and nibbled at it. "Sure you don't want me to hike it up?"

"You can't," she choked out, when his tongue stroked over her pulse. "Unless you want to rip it to shreds, that is. You'll see why in a moment. Pull this one next," she whispered, pointing behind her to her right shoulder.

He purred as he stroked over the newly bared skin with his mouth and hand before spotting the next tie in the pattern to come loose. He pulled it without her telling him to, found his mouth on her shoulder, and fought the urge to bite down. Soon, but not yet. "This one?" He asked, moving to the center of her back.

"Yeah… and then you unlace the bindings like you would a corset." Reiko's senses were overwhelmed by his scent and his touch as he slowly loosened the back of her dress and ran his lips over the back of her neck.

"It's still not coming off," Paragus muttered, in a mixture of humor and frustration. "You firestarters sure protect your chastity well."

She snickered at that and shook her head. "If you think that's bad, just wait until you see the rest of it."

"Gods, woman." Paragus moved to the front, and was glad for it. Now he could really seduce this woman; it was turning into an intriguing game, discovering how to make her tremble with something besides a bad case of nerves. "What am I going to find next? A chastity belt?"

"Actually…" Reiko grinned a little as he worked at the lacing on the front of her dress.

"You're joking." Paragus slid his hand up her leg and under the hem of her dress, and didn't miss the way her breathing got a little ragged. Then his hand met what felt like a mixture of more silk ties, looped with metal beads. He was about to ask what purpose this garment served if he could rip it to shreds, when the beads began to heat up, answering his question. "Ah. Sneaky."

"Yeah," she answered breathlessly. "A failsafe, in case a man manages to get that far and a woman doesn't want him. We burn his hand off."

"I don't suppose I could keep one of those beaded ties as a trophy," he growled, slipping his hand between her legs once more.

Reiko gave him a shaky smile and nodded. "But first, you have to get the bodice loose, or the other ties won't give."

"Well, where was I, then?"

#################

"You think she's alright?"

Turles wrapped his arm around Rei, pausing the recorded sparring matches that they were watching in the sitting room. "She's fine, woman. You know damned well that a male Saiyan can't hurt his mate." He tugged her to his chest and ran his fingers through her hair in a slow, soothing motion while he breathed in her scent. "We grew up training with Paragus, you know just as well as I that he's a kind and honorable man."

"Yeah, I know." Rei snuggled in against him, appreciating the comfort he was offering, and after a moment's thought, she twined her tail around his.

"Rei… I really want you," Turles said, almost conversationally. It wasn't the first time he'd said it, and it surely wouldn't be the last.

She nodded slightly. "I know… Turles?"

He looked down at her, caught off-guard by the hesitancy in her voice. "Yeah, beloved."

"I… would you be mad if… I don't want children."

Turles was mostly unfazed by her statement, he'd suspected that there was a bigger reason for pushing him away other than virginal reluctance. "Do you mean soon, or never?"

"Eventually… like in ten years, maybe. But I'm a warrior. I just made Elite. I want to fight, and I don't want to be tethered to the home like some servant… my mother, she was a great Althean warrior, but the moment she was mated, she was pregnant with me, and stuck at home cooking and cleaning and taking care of a baby. I don't want to do that."

"I got you something yesterday, while you were outside the chemist's," Turles answered with a smirk. He dug in his pocket and handed over a packet. "The old woman wrote the instructions on it. I wasn't sure how you felt about children, but I know that I'm not ready to be a parent yet. My father was a parent at fifteen, and I know how hard it was for him to keep us all fed growing up."

Rei slowly took the packet and looked up at him in confusion. "Did we just actually agree on something important?"

Turles laughed at that and nodded. "I think we did, Pyro." He took a chance and kissed her then, and was pleasantly surprised when she returned it. "I don't suppose you'll go fix yourself a cup of that brew right now?" He asked hopefully.

Worrying her lower lip, Rei clutched the packet in one hand and resumed the playback on the screen. "Let me think about it."

"Depends on how long you want to think about it," he snorted. "You've had weeks, so far."

Rei bit back an angry retort when she looked up and saw him grinning; he was joking with her. Damn it, that only made her feel guilty. "Tell you what." She studied the packet carefully, turning it over and over in her hands as she thought out her words carefully. "Sparring ring. Tomorrow morning, you and me. Winner takes all."

Turles chuckled at that. "You're quite the traditionalist, aren't you, woman? You'd really have me beat the hell out of you first?"

"Not necessarily. I just won't be mated to a male that can't hold his own against me in a fight. So if you want me, you take me if you can. Tomorrow. Sound fair? I'll clear it with Broly, so he doesn't think you're breaking your word."

"Whatever you say, Pyro. You'd better drink some of that stuff tonight, in that case, because by tomorrow I'll have fucked you to within an inch of your life." He grinned when she blushed. "You sure you want to get me all riled up like that first? We could just head back to your room right now…"

"Nope. I want to be mated the traditional way. I'm an Elite warrior, I'll accept nothing less." She brushed her lips over his and smirked. "Do you think you're up to the task, Turles?"

"You'd better drink a double batch of that brew, woman. You're not leaving my bedroom for days."

################

_**Earth**_

The old man had kept his promise.

"He did a fair job," Vegeta finally said. "I didn't know he could use a needle."

Goku looked at her seriously. "You do the tattoos for your squad?" He asked, hoping that what he wanted to ask wouldn't insult either her or Vegeta.

"Yeah, why?"

"Could… if it's not taboo, of course… could I have one, too?"

Vegeta lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Why, Kakarot? You never gave a damn about your Saiyan heritage."

"I never said that, Vegeta," Goku replied, almost sharply. "I said that I wasn't interested in all the killing that the Saiyans did. That our power could be used for something good. It's not just for blowing shit up, you know."

Usagi visibly brightened. Finally, someone that agreed with her! "Kakarot, I would be honored to give you your ink. But first, you have to fight me." She smiled when he looked confused.

"She has to test you, Kakarot. She's the leader of the Saiyan Elite, at least until I decide to go home. Then she'll be my second."

"Like hell I will," she growled.

"Shut up and let me speak, woman," he ordered, without turning from his rival. "She has to fight you to see what you're entitled to. You were born third-class, but your ki is much stronger than your typical third-class warrior."

Goku felt a wave of pride as Vegeta finally admitted that he saw him as more than some third-class baka. "Ok, then! So let's fight!" He flew into the air immediately and waited for her to join him.

"Watch your ass with him, Usa, he's a lot stronger than he lets on, and he fights until he's burger. He's also beaten me," he added grudgingly.

"Damn. Well, it sounds to me like someone's getting a first-class Elite tattoo. Does he deserve it?" She asked seriously, giving him a heavy stare.

Vegeta nodded after a moment. Kakarot could be an idiot, but the man was a superb and intuitive fighter, and displayed the devotion and loyalty to his people that only true Saiyan warriors could.

"What's going on?" Raditz asked, finally making his way over. "I went inside for something to eat," he explained. "Watching you two… gods, Usagi, I knew you were strong, but…"

"Sorry, Radu," Usagi said sincerely, knowing that he was referring to her rejection of his attempt to claim her.

"You beat me fairly, woman, don't be sorry." He said it like he didn't care, but he knew she could read him like a book, and it hurt. He'd get over it, damn it. "So, what's going on?"

"Kakarot and Usagi are going to spar," Vegeta said simply, ignoring the longing in Raditz's eyes as the third-class soldier looked at her. "Kakarot wants her to ink him."

"Really?" Raditz said in sheer surprise. "Be careful, Usa, he's strong, and he's only gotten stronger since I last fought him." They'd done some sparring that morning before heading over to Capsule Corp, and his brother had effortlessly beaten him, unlike the last time they'd fought.

Of course, Chi-Chi had cussed him up one side and down the other when he suggested a sparring match with Gohan, but his brother had promised to speak with his mate about it later that night.

Usagi flashed him a gorgeous smile before she shot into the air, and it didn't leave her face when she faced her opponent. "Ready, Kakarot?"

"The real question, Usagi, is are _you_ ready?" Goku rolled his neck, popping it, as he began to power up.

She laughed, raising her ki as well. "Just remember, Kakarot. I'm a rabbit. And rabbits eat carrots for breakfast."

Goku chuckled at her joke. "Well, I just hope you don't get choked on this one, little bunny." He flew at her then without warning, and they connected with a flurry of punches and kicks as they both raised their kis higher, trying to get the edge in the fight.

Usagi found herself genuinely starting to worry when she began closing in on her peak, while Goku was seemingly only warming up. Then there was a flash of golden light, and she was distracted by his transformation just long enough for him to land a punch, sending her flying.

Vegeta immediately darted up and caught her before she flew into the mansion, and cradled her gently as he examined her broken jaw. "You alright, woman?"

Not able to talk, Usagi just nodded.

"I told you to watch your ass with him."

"Oh, shit, Usagi, I'm so sorry!" Goku shouted, as he flew to meet them. "I thought you knew about me being a Super Saiyan! I truly thought Vegeta would have warned you! I would have told you if I'd known it would distract you."

Usagi simply stared at him in awe. She'd been raised on the stories, just like Vegeta and Raditz had, but that's all they were… stories! Right? "Legendary," she said softly, despite her broken jaw.

"Oh, Kami, I broke your jaw," Goku said, looking like he was about to cry. "Here, eat this." He stuck a senzu in her mouth, and didn't feel so guilty when her jaw knit back together. She was still staring at him, however. "It's not that big of a deal," he said, blushing a little.-

"Not that big of a deal!?" Usagi suddenly shouted, sitting up in Vegeta's embrace. "You're the Legendary, you baka! THE LEGENDARY! I thought it was a fucking story told to little Saiyan brats at bedtime!" She turned her head and stared at Vegeta. "You? Can you?"

"Not yet," Vegeta growled.

"Vegeta's almost there!" Goku chimed in, knowing how badly it hurt the other Saiyan's pride to come in second place. "I can sense him getting closer every time we train. He should get there any day, now."

Usagi just stared at him, then frowned. "You mean to tell me that you were holding back while we fought!?" She snapped. "I'm not going to break, Vegeta! I'm not a little girl anymore!" She shoved herself out of his arms, and missed the crestfallen look in his eyes as she flew back to the house.

"You held back against her, Vegeta?" Goku asked in amazement.

"No, I didn't," he said flatly. "She's my equal, Kakarot. She's just as close to becoming a Super Saiyan as I am."

"Huh, I wonder what color her hair will turn, since it's already blonde."

"_Seriously_, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked, not totally surprised that Goku would focus on something dumb like hair color.

"She's really mad at you, Highness," Raditz said simply, as he flew up to meet them. He was stunned to see his brother had become the Legendary Super Saiyan, but his concern for his princess outweighed his amazement. "You'd better go talk to her if you want to stand any chance of…" He shrugged, unable to hide his jealousy.

Damn it, Raditz was right. "I will. She won't stay mad at me for long; she's never been able to. "

He found her in her room, digging around in her bag, mumbling in Saiyan about how much she hated him sometimes. "I didn't hold back, Usagi."

She looked up at him and glared before turning back to her travelling pack. Gods, her stomach felt funny today, maybe it was just her body reacting to Earth's lesser gravity. "Bullshit, Vegeta."

"We're equal in strength, woman. If I'm a stone's throw from becoming a Super Saiyan, then so are you. I'm not pulling your tail, woman," he added, when she swore at him and called him a liar.

"Geta, I'm nowhere close to becoming Legendary," she sighed with exasperation.

"Alright, Usagi. First you accuse me of lying to you, but now it sounds an awful lot like a slight against my honor. I did _not_ hold back," he hissed.

She looked up again, only to study him intensely. While she simply couldn't believe that she was that close to attaining what every Saiyan warrior dreamed of, she knew when Vegeta was lying. And he wasn't. "I meant no insult, Your Highness," she said respectfully.

Vegeta frowned deeply at her words. "Don't call me that," he said flatly. "It just sounds wrong coming out of your mouth."

Usagi's eyes smiled at him warmly, even though she was keeping her lips from doing the same. "Alright then, Princess," she teased.

Vegeta didn't know if he was grateful or not to hear her addressing him so disrespectfully. Any other Saiyan warrior would have had their neck broken for even calling him an asshole, but this woman called him much worse without fear or hesitation. "What are you looking for, anyway?"

"Ink," she answered simply. She reached over and held up a roll of leather. "Those are my tools, but I know I put a bottle of ink in here somewhere. Damned sub-space pocket, I can't ever find anything in it. Oh, wait… yep! Got it!" She snatched up the bottle and made sure it was still good before replacing the stopper. "Thank the gods for that, I don't have any dried flowers with me to make any more."

They headed downstairs, and Usagi made Goku sit on the grass and remove the top to his gi while she cleaned his shoulder with some water that Vegeta had gotten her, along with a few towels. "Alright, we let that dry for a minute, while I set up."

Usagi proceeded to pull out her tools, and chose a needle that was wide enough for the border. "Radu, I'll need to get a good look at yours, too, for the symbol of his house. Kakarot, I hope you don't have a fear of needles," she chuckled, "because I tend to gouge a little. It gets the ink in there better."

Goku just nodded, Chi-Chi had beaten out his fear of needles years ago when he'd had to get shots. It was either get them or face her wrath, so anytime he felt a little afraid of a needle, he just thought of his mate breaking another frying pan over his head, and he was no longer afraid.

She smiled as her hands moved over the familiar task that she absolutely loved doing. She loved seeing the look of pride on the young warriors' faces when received their first tattoo, no matter which class or house they belonged to. It was something that every Saiyan went through, something they could all relate to, despite the classism among her people.

"You know, Vegeta," she suddenly began, as she started on the outline of Goku's tattoo, "you've definitely earned your ink."

"No," Vegeta said flatly. "Not yet, I haven't. I'll take my mark when I reach Super Saiyan. Not before." He smirked when he saw her smile in understanding, not taking her eyes away from her work as she used her superhuman speed to make her hand move like a human tattoo gun.

The outline was forming nicely on Goku's shoulder, and Usagi only stopped occasionally to wipe at the blood and remind him to keep his ki low so that she could actually puncture the skin.

"Something wrong?" Goku asked, when she moved her hand and very slowly began a new part of the design.

"No, Kakarot… it's just, I've **never **done this mark on someone before, and I've only seen the pattern for it twice," she replied softly, completely focused on her task.

"She's marking you as the Legendary," Vegeta informed him, "so keep your head still and don't move. What she's doing is a great honor to you and your house, Kakarot."

Goku smiled at Vegeta's words, belied by a mix of awe and envy. "Thank you, Usagi."

"Don't thank me, Kakarot," she said seriously, "you earned every drop of this ink. Every line, every glyph. Never forget who you are, or the people you come from. And if you do find yourself forgetting, or lost, you only have to look at this badge of honor to remind yourself of your purpose."

Raditz and Vegeta both smiled a little at the sound of the ritual words, and how they brought back a feeling of home.

"Ok," she finally sighed, pulling away. "Geta, does that look right?" She shook her numb hand, massaging the cramps from the muscles. "Gods, I can't believe that I just inked the glyphs for Legendary," she said softly.

"Are we done?" Goku asked, surprised at how fast she had worked.

"Not even close, Kakarot," she admitted reluctantly. "Normally, I would be, but I didn't want to fuck up the most epic tattoo in Saiyan history. The ink masters on Vegeta-sai are going to be green with envy when they hear about this," she added with a grin.

"Oh, that's ok. Does your hand hurt?" He asked with concern.

"A little, but that's normal when you've been holding it in the same position for over an hour. I'm used to inker's cramps." She gave Vegeta a grateful smile when he automatically took her hand in his and began to massage the muscles of her fingers.

Goku grinned a little at the sight of mean old Vegeta showing tenderness for someone. This woman definitely brought out the best in him, made him show a level of kindness and concern that Goku knew he'd be capable of, given time. Just the way he'd held her yesterday when she'd first arrived spoke volumes. He peered at Usagi's shoulder. "So, what do all your symbols mean?"

"Oh, well, there should be a little glyph in there that gives my name, which is the Saiyan symbol for rabbit. The crown and the sun are obviously the marks of the royal house, and the badge below that marks me as one of the Saiyan Elite. The glyph next to it marks me as a First, the leader. If that ever changes, I'll have to have it burned a little and redone," she added, narrowing her eyes at Vegeta, who just smirked at her.

"What about these other little… what did you call them, glyphs?"

"Huh? Well, there should be a glyph signature by the artist, which was the king himself."

"No, no, not that. These. They're mixed in with your house and your class. It's almost like they're hidden."

Vegeta's eyes went wide, and he shook his head ever so slightly at Goku. But the damage had been done, as Usagi reached for a small mirror in her kit and instructed Goku to hold it for her while she tried to find what he was talking about. He bit back a sigh and a groan when she suddenly snatched her hand out of his like it had caught on fire.

"Vegeta, did you see these?" She asked softly, with more than just a hint of anger in her voice.

"What are they?" Goku asked curiously. He noted the way Usagi was scooting away from Vegeta, but could only wonder why.

"This glyph," she answered shakily, "marks me as a princess of the royal house. Which would only make me Vegeta's sister and King Vegeta's daughter… but _this _glyph…" She glanced up at the man who was not her brother in something close to horror.

"It marks you as mine," Vegeta finished for her with a sigh. "And yes, Usagi, I saw them. But I didn't say anything because I knew it would only upset you."

"Oh, gods…" Raditz groaned, slowly approaching them to study her ink. "Usa, you mean to tell me that I nearly committed treason when—" He shook his head and groaned again, thanking every god in the universe that she'd kicked his ass. If it had been before she'd gotten her ink, then it would have been fine. But if he'd managed to take her after… dear gods.

"Wait, so this _does _make you and Vegeta mates!" Goku chipped in cheerfully.

"No!" Usagi snapped. "I am _not_ his!" Never mind that the ink on her shoulder was a silent order from the king himself. Goku didn't need to know that… but Vegeta didn't have to be told. The ink on her shoulder gave him every right to take her whenever and wherever he wanted. He knew this, and she could see it in his eyes. Fuck, her stomach felt funny at such a thought. "My hand feels better," she said quickly, scooping up her needle and dipping it in the inkwell.

Goku shifted closer to her and held still, knowing only too well that she needed a distraction from Vegeta's heavy stare. He looked up at the prince and gave him a barely perceptible shake of the head, and mouthed for him to just leave her alone for a while. He smiled with relief when Vegeta gave a tiny nod and walked away.

Usagi kept her hand moving for two hours, so intent on not acknowledging Vegeta's presence that she was doing her best work ever. When she finally leaned her head back a little to observe the finished product once she'd healed it, she beamed with pride as she held up the mirror for Goku to get a good look.

"Wow, Usagi, that's great! Thank you! It's beautiful!" He exclaimed.

"Saiyan tattoos aren't beautiful," she snorted, but she appreciated his enthusiasm nonetheless.

"Hey, wait! You said something about first ink, earlier. When does a Saiyan warrior get more?"

"Well," she hedged, "it depends. If your rank changes for whatever reason, you have modifications done on your shoulder. Sometimes, though, warriors receive new tattoos in different places, sort of like medals."

"Oh, cool! Do you have any like that?"

Usagi nodded reluctantly. "They're on my back, and I have one on my hip. It's taboo to speak of it, so I'm sure Geta hasn't told you… but I'm only half-Saiyan."

"Gee, that's alright, my son's only half, and he's a great fighter!"

Usagi nearly hugged him, she was so grateful for his immediate acceptance of her lineage. As a child, Tarble, Vegeta, Raditz, and her mother were the only people who hadn't treated her like a pariah. "I only just found out what my other half is," she admitted, "but it's very powerful, and I've only just recently figured out how to harness the power. Before, it could only heal, but now I know how to use it to destroy, too." She gave him a conspiratorial grin. "Father never knew it, but I used to heal Geta's wounds after training so he'd be fresh every morning. He'd always wondered how the prince was so powerful, even after a sound beating in the sparring ring. I have a healer's tattoo on my back, the only one in Saiyan history."

"That is so cool! A Saiyan that can heal, and with all that power, too! You'd probably be even more effective than a senzu bean!" Goku was quite literally bouncing in excitement, and he could tell by Usagi's expression that it was something she wasn't used to. "The Saiyans didn't appreciate it like humans would, I'll bet."

Usagi shook her head, blushing with embarrassment. "Geta and Tarble were the only ones that knew about it for years, but when Father found out… Geta… he took the punishment for me," she finished softly.

"He cares for you a great deal, Usagi. Until yesterday, I'd never seen him look happy, but the moment I saw him with you… the change was a complete one-eighty."

"No, Kakarot, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Vegeta is… he's like the older brother that I never had. Given, we're only a few months apart, but we always looked after each other as brats, and I don't want to lose that."

"Mates do that too, you know," he said with a little smile.

"Not all mates," she stated firmly, thinking of a few pairs she'd seen as a child.

"Vegeta couldn't hurt you if he wanted to," Goku snorted. "I've seen the way he looks at you, Usagi. He wants to do a _**lot**_ to you, but I don't think any of it includes pain," he added with a grin.

Usagi blushed at the idea of her and Vegeta… gods, and the way he'd been kissing her this morning… "No, Kakarot. As your squad leader, I order you to cease this line of conversation." She rolled her eyes when he only grinned at her even wider.

"Whatever you say, commander. I was only trying to help, you know."

"I know, Kakarot." She cleaned the needles she'd used in the bowl of water and wiped them dry on the towel before tucking them away and wrapping them tightly in the leather case. She put the stopper back in the inkwell and shoved that in with the rest so she wouldn't have to dig for it again. "Thank you, Kakarot, I know you meant well. It's just not a subject I want to discuss any further, ok?"

"It's alright, Usagi. But if you do ever want to talk about it, I'm always around." He chortled in pleasant surprise when she suddenly hugged him, and wasted no time in returning the embrace. Poor girl, she just needed a friend, and he was more than happy to give her one.

One thought had been bothering her the entire time she'd done his tattoo, and she finally gave into the urge to voice it. "This is going to sound really strange, Kakarot, but could you do me a favor and power up again?"

"To Super Saiyan?" When she nodded, he shrugged, and was instantly engulfed in a golden glow as he transformed. "I'll bet it looks cool as hell with the tattoo," he said with a grin.

Usagi smirked and nodded, it did look pretty awesome to see her work on an ascended Saiyan. But what she was really concerned with… "Hold still, Kakarot. Just let me look for a moment, ok?"

Goku did as his commander ordered while she simply peered at his face curiously for a long minute. "Everything ok?"

"There's—I can't explain it," she said lamely, shaking her head. The eyes. His eyes were the exact same shade of green, just as she'd known they would be. They weren't the same eyes, as she'd also known, but that unsettling emerald green color was identical to her night-time lover's.

So, he was a Super Saiyan, then. Usagi clutched at her stomach when she thought of him; she hadn't seen him since a week before they'd landed, and she was already beginning to miss his touch. He was close, she could feel it. Maybe she could find out what other habitable planets were nearby and go search for him. Fuck the king, she knew who she wanted, and as much as she loved Vegeta, she wasn't going to become his mate when her true mate was out there waiting for her.

"Hungry?" Goku asked, not sure why she looked like she was in pain, and reluctant to say anything that might upset her further.

Hell, she was Saiyan; she was always hungry. "Yeah, sure," Usagi answered noncommittally, grateful that he wasn't going to ask her any uncomfortable questions.

They headed inside to eat something soon after, since they could feel Raditz and Vegeta's kis going at it about a mile away. Usagi wasn't about to interrupt them, and she was simply too hungry to resist Goku's offer to join her for lunch.

She ate silently while Bulma ooh'd and ahh'd over Goku's tattoo, smiling at the praise for her work. It really was something to be proud of; she was the first ever to ink a Legendary, and she'd done the design completely from memory. Usagi frowned a little at that thought. It should have been Vegeta getting that tattoo as well, not just Goku.

"What's wrong, Usagi?"

She shook her head a little. "Geta wants to ascend more than anything, and I'm trying to think of something I could do to help him. Not sure what it could be, though," she admitted glumly. "I guess we'll just have to kick the shit out of him to the point of near-death, let him heal, and do it again and again. How did you do it?"

Goku just shrugged. "It happened when I was fighting Frieza. He was going to destroy everything I loved, and… I just snapped. I remember letting go, not caring anymore what happened to me, so long as my family was safe. Love did it, I'm pretty sure. I tried to tell Vegeta that one time, and he Final Flashed me into a mountain," he chuckled.

"Why am I not surprised," she snorted. "Love isn't exactly a common Saiyan emotion, if you hadn't noticed." She wondered about the idea she'd had last night. "I thought about giving him his tail back, but… I'm not sure if my healing powers are strong enough for that. And I didn't want to say anything to him, just to give him hope of regaining it, only to have it not work."

Both of them looked up as they felt the approaching kis of the other two Saiyans, and quickly returned to their meals. Usagi didn't look up when she felt his eyes on her the moment he walked in the door, but his gaze was practically scorching her.

Still without looking up, she left her seat and fixed a tray of food for them, since Bulma had headed back to her workshop, placing it next to Goku and away from her.

"Thanks, Usa," Raditz said fondly.

"You're welcome, Radu."

"Thank you, Usa."

Usagi merely grunted her acknowledgement of Vegeta, and set down her fork when he growled at her softly. "Here, Kakarot, I'm not hungry anymore." She pushed her plate towards him and retreated to her room, where she could have a little privacy.

###########

Vegeta resisted the urge to break down her door when she didn't answer his knock. "Usa? You don't have to open the door. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Still no answer. Vegeta pushed down the dread welling up inside of him and turned the knob, sighing with relief when he found her sleeping. Kami, she was gorgeous. He laid down next to her on the bed, just as he'd done a million times, and pulled her to him tightly. "Usagi," he breathed against her ear. "Wake up." He knew she was awake when she relaxed against him for a split second before going completely stiff in his arms.

He stroked a hand lazily up and down her spine, willing her to relax again, but she only began to tremble at his touch. She clearly assumed that he was there to claim her, whether she was ready or not, and if he chose to, there wasn't a damned thing she could do about it. An order from the king was not an order to be disobeyed.

He sighed heavily, kissing her forehead. It just felt right, holding her against him, feeling the way her body fit with his perfectly. "I don't care what my father says. He can't just give that kind of order, Usa." He felt the trembling ease a little, but she was still stiff as a board in his arms.

"He can, Vegeta. And you know he can. He can order any two Saiyans to pair-bond if he wishes it."

"But you don't want it," he answered simply.

"And you do." It wasn't a question; during her solitude, she'd come to terms with the looks he'd been giving her, and knew without a doubt that he wanted her. Badly.

"I've wanted you since I was eight, Usagi," he said dryly. "Why do you think Father forbade you from staying with me anymore? I had said something to him, about how you'd be my mate one day, and he was furious at the thought of his son mating with a half breed."

"Oh." She blushed and meekly kept her eyes shut, unable to look up at him and meet his eyes. "Vegeta… if he was so against it then, then why now…?"

"He could have ordered me to go with Frieza, but it would have looked very bad in the eyes of our people. So, I agreed, but only if he'd let me have you upon my return, and treat you kindly while I was gone. He agreed without hesitation. Anything to placate that little purple bastard." He sighed and ran his fingers through her hair when he felt tears soaking through his shirt. "Don't cry, Usa. I swear I'll never force you." He felt her completely relax against him then, her tail going around him in perfect trust.

"I'm not crying because of that, Geta," she sobbed. "I'm crying because you went with Frieza to—to—"

"Shh, it's alright, Usa. It's alright. I'd do again. It saved you from the purge."

"It makes sense now," she said softly, trying not to let the fact that she was crying affect her speech. "I thought at first that he was just getting rid of Tarble and me when he put us in a space pod, but…"

"He was protecting you both," Vegeta finished for her. "He probably knew what Frieza was planning, and tried to save as many Saiyan brats as he could. So, you raised him?"

"Yeah," she said with a little nod. _And yes, Vegeta, he was protecting us both… but only because of a promise he made you. If you hadn't… I would have died with the rest of them. Tarble would have been sent all alone. _"We crash landed, and the moment the natives saw what we were, they tried to kill us. But Tarble's mother-in-law… she saw me, and my coloring, and since I was trying to heal Tarble from the injuries he'd sustained on impact… she knew what I really was. She stopped the natives from killing me, and her daughter, Gure, became Tarble's mate a few years later. They're healers, Geta."`

"So they trained you? _That_ explains the increase in your ki. I was wondering how in the hell you'd gotten so strong."

"Yeah. And after Gure's mom died, Gure took over my training. That was when her and little Tar-Tar feel in luuurve," she giggled.

"I take it you found it fun to pick on our brother. Poor boy," Vegeta muttered.

"Oh, immensely," she replied, still laughing. It was nice to laugh, Usagi was so sick of crying. "He's a lot easier to embarrass than you are."

"As easy to embarrass as you, then?" Vegeta asked with his trademark smirk. "I distinctly remember a certain girl turning beet red after I'd hung her underwear out to dry in front of our entire training squad."

"I totally owe you for that, too," she grumbled.

"Good luck with that, woman. I don't wear underwear." He grinned when she blushed at the statement and her eyes flickered down for a split second. "See, woman, even my lack of underwear embarrasses _**you**_, not me," he chuckled.

"I could always tell the newly promoted first class Elite about Gee-Gee snuggling up to me in the middle of the night as soon as he could climb out of his crib."

"Woman, I was what? Four months old when I started climbing and flying? If you're going to try and embarrass me, at least use something that I can remember."

"Damn it, Geta," she snorted, knowing that the only things she could use against him were far too mean-spirited. Those were things that no one, not even Nappa, would dare mention. Like the beatings and the whippings, designed to make them stronger Saiyan warriors. "I remember you taking beatings for me, Geta," she said suddenly, her voice so soft that he barely heard her. "Thank you for that."

"You always healed me afterwards, woman." And there wasn't a chance in hell that Vegeta would have let Nappa whip the flawless porcelain skin of her back. The first time he had tried, Vegeta had snatched the lash from his mentor, and after being flung into a wall, Vegeta had still insisted on taking the ten stripes that Usagi had earned for not properly following directions.

She had cried at the sight of his pain, silently, lest she earn him more stripes, and had helped him from the arena afterwards so she could heal him secretly. "Yes, Vegeta, I did. But my errors only earned you extra beatings that you didn't deserve. I—I want to make that up to you, but I didn't want to get your hopes up, either."

"Woman, there isn't a chance in hell that I'll claim you if you're only doing it out of a sense of honor," he snapped at her harshly.

"Geta, that's _**not**_ what I meant," she huffed. "At all. I wasn't even talking about that. Gods, you're so thick-headed."

"Then what did you mean?" He asked in confusion.

"Ugh, _never mind_, Vegeta. Maybe I'll talk to you about it tomorrow, when I'm rested."

"Have it your way, woman," he grumbled. Vegeta sighed after a few moments of simply holding her. "Look at me, Usa."

"Huh?" She glanced up a little. "What?"

"No, Usagi. Look at me. Really look at me. I know you don't remember the dreams where we met, and you wanted to know why we argued, right? So look at me. You've been subconsciously avoiding it, I think." He tipped her chin up when she began to tremble; it was obvious that she had an idea of what was coming. "Look me in the eyes, Usa. Just do it."

Her blue eyes travelled up his face slowly, and she jerked back the moment she made eye contact with him and felt the sharp, undeniable tug deep in her gut. "Geta…"

The Saiyan prince clutched at the sheet beneath him as he reined in the urge to jerk her into his arms and claim her, and the fact that she was edging away from him wasn't helping matters. "Stay put, Usa," he growled softly, reaching out to hold her in place when he thought she was going to slide off the bed. "If you run, you know damned well I'm going to give chase and claim you. Just… come here. Let me smell you for a little while."

Usagi shook like a leaf as she let him pull her back into his arms and he buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply. How could she possibly feel the pull for him? She'd already felt it for the warrior in her dreams, and… her eyes shot open wide at that. She'd never seen his face.

Oh gods, she was a fucking idiot.

She jumped when she felt his lips whispering over her throat, and managed not to moan at the sensation. Now that she knew it was him, Green Eyes, her body was reacting to him despite the fact that she considered Vegeta to be her brother. "Geta… please, don't," she whimpered, unable to control the way her heart was practically coming out of her chest.

"Mine," he purred softly, nipping his way to her earlobe. "All mine. Finally."

A tiny moan escaped her lips when he turned her face to his and kissed her, and the contact brought a flood of images with it, everything that she'd dreamed about in the void but hadn't been able to remember. "Please stop, Geta," she gasped, her body telling him the exact opposite. Gods, she wanted him, but… "You're my brother, Geta, we can't…"

"Not your brother," he replied hoarsely. "I've never been your brother, woman, and this is why." Vegeta continued to move his mouth over hers, slowly, gently, afraid to spook her if he took things too far. This he could live with for now, he would give her a little time to get used to the idea. He cared for her that much. "It feels right, doesn't it?"

"Yes," she reluctantly admitted, "but it feels weird, too." Usagi's hands stroked lightly over his chest as she continued to wrap her mind around the fact that she already knew his body. Knew it extremely well, in fact; every single inch of it.

She wanted to ask him about the dreams, but no, she'd save that for later. If she'd been having those dreams about him all on her own, it would just be downright embarrassing to bring it up.

Vegeta inwardly cheered when his mouth moved over her neck once more and she let out a soft moan of pleasure. She wanted him, she just needed to come to grips with it. And she would, in a short amount of time, if he kept up this sort of gentle assault off and on for several days. Then her hands were wrapping around his wrists and stopping him when his fingers wandered under her shirt.

"Too fast," she whispered, turning her head to kiss him. She couldn't help it, kissing him just felt so damned amazing. "Who knew that incest could feel this good," she snorted.

Vegeta cracked up at that and pulled away suddenly, holding his sides as he shook from laughter. "Gods, woman, you always had a fucked up sense of humor, but that just takes the cake."

Usagi snickered and shook her head, straightening her shirt. He'd pushed it up almost to her bra-line, and she hadn't even noticed it until that moment. Then she made eye contact with him again, and blanched. "So… what do we do?"

"I won't force you," he managed, all of his laughter gone for the moment. "We'll just… I don't know. We come up with a plan, a strategy on how to deal with this, and we—"

Usagi snorted and shook her head. "This isn't a battle, Vegeta."

A single black brow lifted and he stared at her seriously. "The hell it isn't. And you're the spoils of war, woman." He grinned when she blushed and fluffed her hair in embarrassment. "And you know as well as I that you've never been able to beat me in strategy and tactics. Ever."

"That arrogance must take up quite a space in your room at night, leaving little room for you. I don't see how you're going to have room in your bed for me, too."

"We'll just squash in really tight."

"Feh. That arrogance can camp out on the floor if you ever want a chance in Hell of sleeping with me, monkey man."

##################

Usagi slipped into bed with Vegeta, shaking him slightly, just as she had for the last three nights. She'd taken to borrowing clothes from Bulma for the first two, in an effort to dress more modestly, until the blue-haired human had insisted on taking her shopping.

Shopping with Bulma had proven to be more exhausting than an eight-hour sparring session with all four male Saiyans on the planet. She'd picked up some clothing for Raditz as well, but like Vegeta, he still preferred his armor during training. It was nice to see him in normal street clothing, though. Raditz finally looked more relaxed, even though he'd only wear black, just like she did.

Well, that wasn't totally true. Bulma had conned her into a couple of things that had color in them, mostly the kind of clothing that she'd worn on Gure's planet. Which Usagi wasn't sure when she'd wear, but she appreciated the gesture all the same. At least she had a supply of t-shirts that she could wear to bed without Vegeta thinking she was giving him an open invitation.

"Huh?" He growled sharply, on the edge of completely waking, ready for battle. "Oh, you," he mumbled , before dropping back off to sleep.

Usagi smiled as he automatically pulled her tightly against him, and she snuggled her head into his chest as she wrapped an arm around him. Tonight was the night, and if it didn't work, then Vegeta would be none the wiser. She waited patiently until she was positive that he was out cold before moving her hand to the nub where his tail had once been located.

She froze when he murmured in his sleep and began to purr with pleasure, and made absolutely sure not to move her hand against the remainder of his tail. Gods, if he woke up while her hand was there, she would have an awful lot of explaining to do, and fast, before he decided to claim her. A female laying hands on a warrior's tail… well, that was the fastest way in Saiyan history to find a mate, and vice-versa.

Usagi sighed with relief when he relaxed against her, purring and nuzzling her neck, as she moved her ki into the stump just above his bottom, directing her powers to heal and regrow what he'd lost in battle. _Please work, please work,_ she prayed silently to all the gods of Vegeta-sai. _Please, if any of you gods are really real, give Vegeta back his tail. No warrior deserves to have it taken from him, especially not a prince. _

She felt him flinch, and used even more power to take his pain, knowing that it would be very uncomfortable if and when his tail actually started to grow back. It seemed like she laid there forever, praying and flooding him with her silver ki, before she felt something fuzzy moving against her hand. "By the gods, it worked," she gasped.

"Hn?" Vegeta mumbled.

Shit, she wasn't finished yet, his damned tail had only started to regrow! "Nothing, Geta," she replied softly, rubbing her cheek against his. He rumbled something soft in Saiyan before brushing his lips against hers, and she felt her face growing hot at the contact. _Go back to sleep,_ she urged him silently, and her power seemed to respond to her command. "Damn, wish I'd known I could do that." She giggled when he started snoring, and returned to the task at hand with a lot more confidence, now that she knew she could make him sleep through it.

His tail seemed to grow faster, now that she didn't have to be so timid about the amount of power she was burning, and she grinned as it reached its full length. "He is going to freak the fuck out," she laughed, using a hint more of her power to keep him asleep while she cackled with glee. "I did it! Gods, thank you so much for helping me if you did!"

Usagi snuggled back down against him, and in her elation, she kissed him softly on the mouth, only realizing too late what she'd done. She turned crimson, but decided it didn't matter, since he'd slept through it. It's not like he needed to know about a single stolen kiss, since he'd been taking every chance he could to steal them from her.

Not that she complaining; she'd been thoroughly enjoying his undivided attention for her. He'd gotten pretty creative over the last two days; they'd be sparring, going at it like cats and dogs, and then he'd send her flying into the trees, only to dart down and pounce on her with an assault of kissing and petting.

Their last match the evening prior had been the most enjoyable, she'd led him on a bit of chase through the trees, flying low, and had been so aroused by the thought of actually initiating a Saiyan mating game that she'd actually let him get up her shirt once he'd caught her. Maybe that's what she would do once she was ready… eventually.

She squashed down the unexpected temptation to kiss him again, and wondered why in the hell she suddenly felt like kissing him at all, outside of the obvious pull that they felt towards each other. Then she felt it, a soft stroking of fur against her own tail, and rolled her eyes. "Damn it, Geta."

She raised her head a little to see that he'd wrapped his tail around hers lightly, and it was moving slowly up and down the silver length that it had caught. Usagi relaxed against him, unable to do much else without waking him, since she's blown most of her ki in rebuilding his tail. She simply resisted the urge to kiss him or move her tail against his, while she secretly enjoyed the wonderful sensation of having her tail petted by a full-grown Saiyan male.

###################

Bulma stormed up the stairs at the sound of heavy footsteps in her kitchen for something like the fifth time in the last hour. "Kami's sake, it's four in the fucking morning!" She yelled, tearing around the corner, ready to bean the first Saiyan she came across.

And bean him she did, even though he was too tall for her to hit him above his shoulders. She pulled back the wrench in her hand to hit him again, but a large hand deftly caught it. "Goku, get your ass on home!" She yelled at him. "What in the hell are you doing here this time of the night, anyway!? People are trying to sleep, and I'm buried up to my eyeballs in work!"

Then he turned around, and she saw that it wasn't her childhood friend, but another Saiyan that barely resembled him, even in the dark. "Oh, you're the other one. Well, same goes for you, too, damn it."

"You must be the loud-mouthed woman that Vegeta warned me about," Raditz chuckled, closing the fridge. "I merely came over for breakfast, since Chi-Chi's having a hard time keeping up with feeding an extra Saiyan. My apologies, I didn't mean to disturb your work, woman."

"While I don't mind people popping in and out for food, it's four in the morning," she huffed. "It is waaaay too early for breakfast…"

"Raditz."

"Raditz. Ugh, I can't see shit with all this gear on, damn it." Bulma tugged at the welding mask resting on top of her head, caught her hair tie out of habit when it came out as well, and pushed her blue hair out of her face while she fumbled with the goggles over her eyes. Even she had to admit that she looked like a little steampunk whenever she was at work. "There, better," she sighed, setting her things on the counter in the dark.

The Saiyan jumped when she hit the lights and her beauty was only easier to see. His night vision was excellent, but it hadn't done her a bit of justice. He just stared at her as she tied back the aqua hair that was spilling to her waist, and felt an unexpected elemental jerk in his gut when she looked up at him. "_Whoa_."

Bulma blinked and her jaw went a little slack as her body reacted the same way upon making eye contact with him. She'd been scarce since they'd landed several days before, as was her habit whenever there was a ton of sparring going on out back. She just holed up in her workshop and peeked out a window to watch the fighting whenever she took a break.

She'd watched this Saiyan, too, from afar, and had even admired him a little bit. He was clearly the underdog of the group, but whenever she saw him with the others, he was giving it his all, even if it meant getting put in the dirt by his opponent. "What was that…?" She asked slowly.

Raditz swallowed hard and licked his lips, knowing that he was staring at her like a piece of meat, but unable to look away from her for even a moment. "What's your name?" He rasped out.

"Bulma. Why am I not surprised?"

He cracked a smirk at the sight of an angry fire in her eyes; good, he'd never imagined that he could feel the pull for a quiet, demure little woman. "At what?"

"That his Royal Assness didn't even bother to tell you my name," she huffed, turning away to pull out a few pans and some food from the fridge. "I swear, Vegeta might be my friend, but he is such a fucking jackass!" She ranted. "I swear to God, he's cooking his own damned breakfast this morning, just for that."

Raditz simply watched her, wide-eyed, as she continued to curse the name of his liege for five minutes straight without once repeating herself, while she started cooking bacon and eggs in two frying pans. "I could take notes on cursing from you," he said with a touch of awe.

Bulma grinned a little at that; she'd heard Vegeta cuss a blue streak quite a few times, so coming from a Saiyan that was a pretty high compliment. "Just be glad you're not the target," she replied tartly, sliding a double helping of food onto a plate and passing it to him. "No more four in the morning foraging, understood?"

"I'm always up at four," he said through a mouthful of food. "Unless I'm Usagi's nightguard, but that's because she tends to kick and steal covers."

"Well, then start sleeping in until six, since Veggie-brain's got the nightguard thing covered. I'm in the workshop all night, and you woke me up during my naptime."

"You were sleeping with all that gear on?" Raditz snorted and shook his head when she shrugged and nodded, as if it happened all the time. "I hope you turned the torch off."

"Duh. I get sleepy, I push my shit to the side and lay my head down on the bench for a catnap. Saves time. I'm not going upstairs to strip and shower and climb into bed for an hour before I come back down to get filthy."

"You should take better care of yourself," he said flatly. He hid a smile behind his fork when she glared at him, daring him to continue to tell her what to do in her own damned home. "It's not an order, woman," he continued, taking a swig of coffee, as he noted her ability to understand Saiyans while they were eating. This must be the woman his brother had spoken about as well, the one he'd grown up with. "It' a suggestion."

"A pretty high-handed suggestion, asshole. I have a suggestion for you of my own. Mind your own damned business."

Gods, this woman was fun! "And if I make it my business?"

"Don't play that dominate holier-than-thou Saiyan warrior shit with me, boy! I've taken a certain prince down a notch a few times, and I won't hesitate to do the same with you!" Bulma threw a towel down on the counter, glaring at him, daring him with her eyes to make the next move.

"I'm looking forward to you taking me _anywhere_, even if it is down a notch," he replied smoothly. Raditz enjoyed watching her fume for several moments before she switched to simple threats.

"So help me God, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Hm, I'm looking forward to that, too. I like a little kink."

**Long ass chapter, and no Mako, I know. Hey, I could only fit so much in at once! So, next chapter, Althea, and Rei vs. Turles, the final battle! Sort of, I'm sure she'll find other excuses to light him on fire. **

**And I hope everyone's happy with my choice for Raditz. That I HAD planned out from the very beginning, so it stays, damn it! I've already written some pretty hot stuff for the two of them!**

**Ana: Yeah, Turles and Broly may or may not butt heads. Who knows, maybe Broly can get over him sounding and looking like the infernal Kakarot… even though he doesn't know that's why he hates him. And where do you think Usa acquired her epic trolling skills?**

**Krissy: So glad you got the joke! And I'm sure you loved the VxU interactions in this chapter. Don't worry, it'll happen… eventually.**

**Crispy: You know cliffies only mean you have to wait 2 days max with me lol. Hope you enjoyed the fight :D**

**Selene A: Who said Usa, Vegeta, and Raditz would be going back anytime soon? Ruka has a tampon stuck in her cooter from 1995. That's her main issue. And yes, Reiko and Paragus! Old (er) people need love too, damn it! Don't worry, though, it was spur of the moment pairing, but it has a purpose, I promise. And no, Serenity's not related to Mako's family. This will just make the two Saiyan families look like my husband's family tree! Wish I was joking!**

**Chibi: I can't wait to see Goku and Bardock meet, either, since I'm still not sure how I'm going to play that out. I guess we'll see!**

**Newmoonmama: Thank you, and you're welcome!**


	17. Chapter 17

**So, getting over this crap, still. Have to work all weekend, and make up all those sick hours from last weekend, so I'll be working a lot the next week or two. I'll still try to get out regular updates, though, so please review! Q&A is at the bottom for a couple reviews I got that had questions, so read away, and I hope that clears up a few things! Now, on to take my cough meds, which make me gloriously high, and get some SLEEP!**

Mako snapped awake and wiggled out of Bardock's embrace when the earth beneath her shook uncontrollably, much harder than anything she'd caused since the siege. She was out the ship's hatch in a flash, and breathing a sigh of relief and trying to get her heartbeat under control when she saw the capitol rising out of the ground.

"You alright, Mako?"

She nodded and sagged back into his arms. "I… I was dreaming about the siege, and when the ground shook like that…"

He pushed waves of comfort and warmth through their bond as he held her tightly. "I still have moments like that from Kanassa," he admitted, "and from the genocide. Asleep and awake."

"Yeah, me too. Little things set it off. A smell, a word. The way someone says something; it'll sound just like the way another said it during the fight. It's getting better though, the paranoia's less frequent…"-

"Since we bonded," Bardock finished knowingly. He caught images from her mind, her, Ami, and Minako making a final stand with Ruka, Sets and a few others; the ground violently rocking under their feet as she pulled all of her power at once, burying countless Saiyans as she called down lightning from the sky.

He vowed that she'd never have to go through that ever again, not as long as he was alive to stop it.

"Yeah, it has gotten a lot better since then," she agreed, subconsciously laying her hand over her belly. "Ami's pregnant, you know."

"Really? That was fast. I'll bet Nappa's looking forward to being a father," Bardock chuckled. He knew all too well that Nappa was likely strutting around the ring on a daily basis, a permanent smirk on his face, his head held high in pride. Which was the Saiyan equivalent of jumping up and down for joy.

"Yeah, when he's not treating Ami like some sort of porcelain doll," she snickered. "He wouldn't even sleep with her when he first found out; she had to pretty much seduce him. It's kind of cute, I think. Hm… it's a girl, too. Think she'll be bald?"

Bardock laughed heartily at that and shook his head as he nipped at the back of her neck. "Nappa shaved his head when he was a teenager, so no one could grab his hair in battle. And since Saiyans' hair never grows…" He shrugged. "No, I expect she'll have a full head of black hair when she's born. Likely blue eyes. Half-breeds tend to wind up with the non-Saiyan eyes, most of the time. Our brat will probably be the same."

"Have you thought of a name for him, yet?" Mako asked curiously, smiling when his hand crept around her waist to stroke her stomach.

"I was thinking of giving him a name that was both Althean and Saiyan. Ka means 'destiny,' right?"

Mako turned in his arms and kissed him tenderly. "Kale is a perfect name, Bardock," she whispered, knowing exactly where he was headed with his train of thought. "Thank you for that. I swear, you're the most thoughtful man… I'm amazed that you're even Saiyan."

"Hey, even Saiyan men have their moments," he grunted. "At least with their mates, anyway."

"You do alright," she teased, pecking him on the mouth. "We'd better go in and get dressed," she advised, gesturing behind her to the city.

"Hm, yes, it wouldn't do to meet Serenity in your nightgown. In fact, come on, woman." Bardock scooped her up effortlessly and carried his giggling mate back to their bed, giving the ship a voice command to lock all of the entrances.

"Is my sexy Saiyan warrior going to help me undress?" She asked silkily, her hand wandering below his waist to find the proof of his desire. Oh yeah, he wanted some, without a doubt.

Bardock remembered in time that she was pregnant before dumping her on the bed, and made sure to be careful as he placed her on it. Not that an easy toss would likely hurt her, but he wasn't taking any chances. He was pushing her nightgown over her head and worshiping her breasts with his mouth when a thought occurred to him. "How long are your people pregnant?"

Mako huffed and fought the urge to flip him onto his back; damn it, he didn't need to stop. "Eighteen weeks, give or take, why?" Then she could hear him doing math in his head, and she growled with impatience, rolled them both, stripped off the rest of her gown, and bit down on his mark.

Bardock laughed at that, despite the onslaught of desire he felt from the bite. "Gods, woman, I was just trying to figure out how long we'd be able to do this."

"Until I say so," she answered tartly. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about it."

With that, she sheathed him inside of her, and all thoughts of math and non-indoor sports flew right out of his head.

################

Two hours and a shower later, they were exiting the ship and flying towards the city at an easy pace, since they didn't want to alarm anyone by shooting across the sky. They touched down a hundred yards outside the gates, and Mako wasn't in the least bit surprised to see a group of people already waiting for them.

Then she stopped and just stared for a moment at a short, raven-haired teenager. "Taru?" She choked. Bardock felt the wave of mixed emotions running through his mate when she suddenly moved at a full run, and hugged the girl tightly. "Oh gods, Taru," she whispered. "Your father?"

"Father's fine, Mako," she answered understandingly, returning the embrace. "I see you managed to survive."

"Barely," she admitted. "After…" She shook her head, unable to finish the sentence, but she forced herself anyway. "After you and Hiro were killed… I lost it. My spark went out and they revived me on the transport to Vegeta-sai."

Bardock kept quiet, but he recognized the dark-haired slip of a girl from Mako's thoughts and dreams. This was the one that was included in all of her nightmares about the end of the siege, when the earth had begun to rock violently around her and the sky had exploded with electricity.

_She was protecting her father, _Mako told him silently. _The Saiyans cut him down in his wheelchair; he's been a defenseless invalid for years. She killed dozens of them before a warrior finally got her from behind. _

_ Cowards, _Bardock spat. He tipped his head slightly to Taru when she glared at him. "Bardock."

"Hotaru," she said flatly. Her violet eyes clearly told him that the only reason she wasn't blasting his Saiyan ass to hell was because of Mako.

"Mako," Serenity said gently, breaking the tension between to lightbreaker and the Saiyan warrior, "I did a lot of thinking last night about our talk yesterday, and I've decided that I would like to speak to King Vegeta. Would that be possible?"

Bardock answered when Mako gave him a questioning look. "Yes, Lady, if you'd like, you can return with us to the ship and I'll call him on the vidcsreen. It gets better reception than my scouter."

"My guards are welcome to accompany me?"

"Of course," Bardock answered, surprised that she'd even ask. "Lady, you're welcome to bring as many as you want, so long as they'll fit on the bridge."

####################

"Rei, are you sure about this? He didn't goad you into it or anything, did he? Because you need to know that if this isn't what you want, you have my total protection."

"Broly," Rei said gently, giving him a very brief hug, "this was _my_ idea. I told him last night that if he wanted me, he could try and take me today. I swear, he was just as surprised as you are right now."

Broly shook his head, leaning back into his mate's arms when she wrapped them around him comfortingly. "I don't get it, but ok."

"She cares for him," Mina said simply. "So she's giving him a shot at claiming her. I thought that was obvious."

"Yeah, but… he's a _prick_," he replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't get it."

"Neither do I, Broly," Rei replied, checking her armor to make sure it was secure, "but he's not as much of a prick as you'd think."

"Aw, Rei!" Mina said happily, "you love him!" She laughed when Rei merely glared at her and snarled something in Saiyan under her breath. "There's nothing wrong with it, honey. I love Broly, and I seem to be doing just fine, thank you."

Broly smirked at that and wrapped his tail tightly around her waist, pulling her flush against his back. "Go fight," he snorted at his new sister. "Nappa's offered to referee, since I'll probably be unfair as hell."

"Yeah, you will," Mina and Rei both said aloud, snickering as they jinxed each other.

Rei wiped the smile from her face, however, when she sensed Turles's ki closing in, and he landed in the ring, twenty yards away from her. He crossed his arms over his chest and tipped his head to her in respect, which she returned soberly. "I'll be ready in a moment, if that's alright."

"That's fine, Pyro, take your time," he replied graciously, finding a seat on the bench behind him.

Rei turned to her mother and Paragus, who had taken a break from their honeymoon to come watch the fight, and she gave the woman who'd birthed her a tight hug. "Well, here we go," she said nervously.

"Just don't make it look so obvious, Rei," Reiko chuckled.

Rei's jaw dropped, and she gaped at her mother in surprise, followed by indignation. "I don't know what you're implying, Mother, but I'd never—"

"Oh, bullshit," she said pleasantly, "I know damn well what you're about to do, I did it to your father, in a way. Minus me having a tail, of course. You're going to put up a really good fight, hold your own for a while, and then 'accidentally' let him snag it. I'm not an idiot, honey."

"There's no shame in it," Paragus said with a smirk. "This is how most female warriors let themselves be taken, girl. They put up an admirable fight to show face, while giving into the drive to mate at the same time. It takes a hell of a lot more guts to surrender to a male Saiyan than it does to beat the shit out of him."

Rei muttered something about male Saiyans and their damned hormones before she snorted and turned towards the ring and her future mate. "Alright," she said heavily, "I'm ready, Turles."

Bardock's son stepped forward and nodded. "Good luck, woman. You'll need it." He easily slipped into a fighting stance, and followed her as she rose into the air. Ok, so this was going to be an aerial fight, yet again.

Turles let her make the first strike, so he could gauge just how hard he was going to have to fight her this time, and was surprised when she seemed to be pulling her punches. Was she seriously going to _**let**_ him win? He had her snagged around the neck in no time in a headlock, with his mouth bent to her ear. "I don't know what you're on about, Pyro, but I don't like it when people let me win."

"You want me or not?" She asked incredulously, struggling in earnest to get loose. He had her locked in tight, though, and she knew damned well that this was it. He had her fair and square, right then.

"I want you more than anything, Rei, but not like this," he said flatly, releasing her. "Now fight me like you mean it, or I'm calling the fight."

"**You're** calling the fight!?" She snapped angrily. "Gods, Turles, you're such a fucking asshole!" She yelled at him, throwing a fireball right at his head. She gaped when his hair didn't catch, and he merely grinned at her.

"Fireproof oil," he informed her.

"Bastard. That's cheating!"

"Hey, no wrong way to win a fight, beautiful. Now, are we doing this, or are we just going to play all morning?"

"Fine," she huffed, floating back a little ways, towards Nappa, who was watching and listening with interest. "Bring it then, sissy boy. I'm ready."

"You asked for it, woman. And I'm not holding back this time, so you'd better give me everything you got," he advised. "And I hope you drank that brew this morning," he added with a waggle of his brows.

Rei blushed at that, and was on the defensive when he flew at her, using his longer legs to his advantage, driving her further towards the ground with kick after heavy kick. She fell back to her firestarting out of habit, and growled in frustration when she found that he'd coated all of himself in that oil, and not just his hair.

Well, if this was going to be a straight fight with only power and muscle, without her Althean gift, she was going to lose. Might as well go out with a bang. But before she could power up for a finisher, Turles was darting behind her, putting her on the defensive again, distracting her from the time she needed to gather her ki and strike.

Then Turles feinted a few blows, got behind her, and when she tried yet again to power up to her full strength, he snagged her tail roughly, ripping a cry of pain from her throat. "Sorry," he grunted, "I didn't mean to grab it so hard."

Rei let out a helpless little moan when Turles began to stroke her tail, running his calloused fingers through the fur, in an effort to make up for hurting her. "You—you bastard," she gasped. "Let go." Though in truth, she didn't want him to let go. Gods, this man sure knew what he was doing when it came to tailplay.

Fairly sure that she wouldn't set him on fire even if she could, he used his free hand to turn her and pull her into his arms. "Not a chance, Pyro." He twined his tail with hers then, gently squeezing and rubbing the ebony appendage as he drug his mouth up her pale throat.

"Please." The word, which was meant to sound strong and demanding, came out as a whimper. Rei's eyes rolled back a little when his hand went to the base of her tail and began to tickle it. "Turles…" He kissed her then, and she found herself returning it, her hands clutching at his back to draw him in closer as he continued his gentle assault on her tail.

"You two want to continue here, or go find some privacy?" Nappa chuckled. When neither of them responded, and only continued to kiss each other passionately, he shook his head and laughed. He looked to his commander when he floated up next to him. "Any suggestions?"

"A round of applause, maybe?" He snickered. "This is the first claiming that's happened since I've taken over, so I figure a standing ovation might be appropriate." Broly looked down into the ring and grinned at his squad, who were all shouting some fairly vulgar suggestions to Turles. It was nasty, but they all meant well. And he had to admit, some of the things they were yelling _were_ pretty funny… and anatomically impossible.

"Rei!" Broly finally shouted, when Turles started to feel her up. "REI!"

The raven-haired woman pulled away and glared at her step-brother, the commander of the Elite. "WHAT, BROLY!?"

Nappa and Broly held their sides, they were laughing so hard, and the latter of the two merely pointed down to the audience.

Rei paled, and then immediately flushed in embarrassment. "Oh."

Nappa grinned at Turles, who was just blinking in surprise at Rei's sudden break from their heated make-out session. "I was trying to warn you, brat…"

"Yeah, I got it," he said quickly, and slung Rei over his shoulder like she was a war trophy before blasting off to his home.

The firestarter was just starting to regain her better senses when she heard Turles kick a door open, and wound up dumped on a large bed. "Whoa, wait a damned minute!" She shouted.

Turles merely resumed his previous assault on her tail, which he'd made sure not to release during the entire trip, while he pinned her arms back and kissed her.

Rei couldn't help but moan softly at the pleasure running up her spine and between her legs as his tail continued to massage hers expertly, and the moment her hands were released, they began to pull at his armor. She had an easier time with it when he suddenly sat them both up, with her straddling his waist, and soon had his armor on the floor, along with his arm guards. Her hands then began to wander the massive expanse of his chest, stroking the tan skin with her fingertips.

Turles gave a little noise of pleasure at how well she was responding to him, and slid her armor and tank top off in one swift motion before tipping her onto her back and lowering his mouth to worship her breasts. She cried out softly as he suckled her, and began to tug at his spandex shorts as she moved her hips against him.

In a flurry of torn clothing and gasps of desire, they were both naked, and he was pressing at her entrance. "Mine," he snarled, thrusting forward savagely.

Rei cried out in pain, and her nails dug into his back, drawing blood, when he withdrew, preparing to thrust into her again. "Turles, please, it hurts," she whimpered.

He clenched his fists in the sheets beside her head as he sank back into her, fighting every instinct inside of him to keep moving. "Sorry," he rasped breathlessly. "Never had a virgin before."

She nodded in understanding, and winced when he shifted a little to lie down on top of her while she adjusted to his invasion of her body. Gods, it felt like he was splitting her in two, he was so big, and the lack of foreplay wasn't helping matters.

Damn it, what did Raditz do to get laid as often as he had in his younger years? Turles inwardly groaned that he was thinking of his brother at such a time, but he wished he could momentarily channel some of that damned charisma and skill with the ladies. "Still hurts?"

"Yeah."

"What should I do, then?" Turles asked. "I don't want to hurt you, Rei. You're my mate. I shouldn't hurt my mate," he grumbled.

"Just kiss me for a little while," she suggested, trying not to feel annoyed at his loss for what to do. The ache between her legs wasn't as strong, but damn if it wasn't uncomfortable as hell. Rei sighed softly as his lips slowly moved over hers, and his tongue slipped into her mouth to explore it thoroughly. The way he was kissing her felt wonderful; it was completely at odds with how he'd kissed her before. It was gentle and loving, and his hands were beginning to roam her in the same manner. Stroking , touching, whispering over her breasts, her hips, her stomach.

"Is that helping?" He asked huskily, as he moved his mouth to brush against her throat, trailing his way lazily to her collarbone.

"That feels wonderful," she whispered, giving his neck the same treatment. Rei whimpered again in pain when he withdrew a little and slid forward once more. "Not that, though."

"Damn it all the hell," he growled in frustration. He pulled them both over onto their sides, wrapping her legs around him as they went.

"You've always been a wham, bam, thank you kind of warrior, haven't you?" Rei asked, just as frustrated as he.

"Minus the thank you," he admitted. "Tell me what to do to make it feel good, and I'll do it," he added, with more than just a touch of embarrassment. When she turned bright red, it only confused him. "What?"

"I—I—well, it always feels good when…" Rei violently shook her head and buried her face in his chest.

"Woman, I'm your damned mate, you can tell me," Turles said flatly, wondering what in the hell she had to be so ashamed of.

"When I—" She still couldn't raise her face to look him in the eye. "You _know_. Men do it too, I've walked in on my squadmates more times than I can count."

Doing… Turles's eyes lit up and he chuckled into her hair. She was ashamed of touching herself? At her age? Gods, that was too damned funny.

"It's not funny!" She snapped, half-heartedly pushing at his chest.

He snagged that hand in his own, and nipped at her fingertips. "Show me where it feels good, Rei." Turles fought the urge not to laugh at her again when she looked up at him, her eyes as big as saucers. He guided their hands down to where they were already joined. "Just show me, that's all. I'll do the rest." His tone was coaxing, pleading, and impossible for her to ignore. "I want you to enjoy me as much as I'm about to enjoy you," he added in a whisper.

Turles let her shift her hand to the back of his, and press his fingers into her folds. She used his hand to rub at the bundle of nerves between her legs, and gave a tiny moan at the sensation.

"Right there?"

"Yeah," she whispered, trailing her own hand back up his arm as he slowly stroked her. "That feels… gods, Turles…"

He grunted as he felt her flex around him slightly, growing wetter by the second. "Can you come like this?"

Rei nodded and gave another moan, this one louder than the last, and raked her teeth over his shoulder as she moved her hips just slightly. What had hurt only minutes ago now felt a little good, and combined with what his hand was doing, it felt great. She bravely pulled back a little more and slid down onto him again, purring with pleasure. "I think you can move now."

"Thank the gods," he groaned. Turles kept the motions gentle as he set up a rhythm, gauging how fast to move by her facial expressions, as he continued to stroke her with his fingertips. He felt a sudden flash of pain, followed by a wave of delicious ecstasy, just as she tightened around him and cried out in rapture against the fresh bite. "My turn," he growled, nipping at the flesh just beside her collarbone.

"Yes, Turles," she gasped desperately. "Do it, please do it." Rei moved her hips against him harder, her head falling to the pillows beneath them as he bit down and she came again, harder than before. She felt him joining her, sliding over the edge as well, as he stiffened and growled while he lapped at her mark.

Rei moaned and clutched at him when he didn't even slow down after he'd climaxed, and continued to move inside of her steadily. "Turles?"

"Not even close to being done with you yet, woman. You wanted to be claimed like a Saiyan, and you're going to get it," he added with a feral grin.

##############

Rei rolled to get out of the bed when she woke up with the burning need to pee, but found herself effectively pinned in place. As she came around just enough to open her eyes, she realized that the noise she was hearing was purring, and it was coming from whatever had her pinned.

And that was Turles, who was curled around her tightly, almost protectively, his arms and tail both securely wrapped around her waist, while one of his legs crossed over both of hers. If it weren't for her urgent need to use the bathroom, she would have snuggled in a little closer to him. It was almost kind of… nice, having a man holding her like that.

As if he truly cared for her.

"I do," his voice rumbled softly in her ear. He chuckled when she jumped in surprise, and drew back from her enough so she could slip out of the bed. "Go use the bathroom, woman, then get that gorgeous ass back in bed."

Rei snorted at that, but she had to go so badly she bit back a retort as she hurried off down the hallway. Her business done, she started pulling on her clothes when she returned to the bedroom.

"Woman, what in the hell are you doing?" Turles purred.

"We way overslept, we're already two hours late for training. Come on, get dressed," she ordered. Rei yelped when he yanked her down into the bed and proceeded to slowly strip her of what she'd put back on, while his mouth followed the path his hands were making.

"Do you ever take a break, woman?" His purr became a lustful growl when his mouth closed over her breast and she moaned his name. "You're not leaving this bed today, woman, unless it's to piss or eat."

"But—"

"No buts, woman. You're all mine for the next week or so. Then I might let you go train… if you behave."

"Behave?" She choked indignantly.

"Mmhmm… " He teased, laughing when she thumped his chest in anger. "Hm, you didn't get enough of the rough stuff last night, woman?"

"Oh, you were joking," Rei realized, relaxing beneath him. "I thought you meant… sorry." A tiny smirk played at her lips when he nibbled at the underside of one of her breasts. "So… how would have me behave, beloved?"

Turles moaned at the sound of that word coming out of her mouth, and slowly trailed his lips to the tops of her thighs. If she'd enjoyed what he'd learned to do with his fingers the night before, she was going to go wild when he did the same with his tongue. "Well, if you can't be good, Rei, you can be good at it."

"Heh, I like that," she sighed, as he began to taste her. "Dear gods, where did you learn that?"

"I figured it out," he admitted, nipping at her inner thigh. "You like it?"

"Don't stop," Rei gasped, bunching her fingers in his hair, guiding him back to her core. "That feels so good, Turles."

He was gentle with her this time, unlike the night before, when his inner beast had been high on battle lust and aching desperately to claim her. He'd hurt her, and even though it had been unintentional, he wanted to make it up to her, to show her that being with him wasn't always rough and hard. He could be gentle, too, even if it was only with his mate. Being a Saiyan, that was pretty much the only gentleness that was allowed in his life, and he was willing to give her all of it.

############

Rei looked up at him in amazement once they'd both finally gotten their fill of each other, her eyes heavy with an emotion that he couldn't place. "I didn't think it could be like that," she admitted.

"It was the first time I'd ever tried mating like that," he confessed. "You liked it like that? Slow?" Turles purred with pleasure when she nodded and began to move her lips over his gently, trying to find a way to show him just how much she'd loved the way he'd just taken her. He felt it through the bond, and nipped at her lower lip. "Well, if you liked it _that _much, I might be persuaded to do it again."

"Right now?"

Turles heard the hopeful note in her voice, and slid inside of her carefully. "As often as you want, whenever you want, Rei. You're mine."

#######################

"I thought you'd be with your mate?"

Mako shook her head, not even needing to look up to know that her twin was behind her. Now that she was back on Althea, Bardock wasn't the only person she was sharing some of her mind with. She suspected the twin bond would fade again once she'd left for Earth, since it was so far away; the bond had always been easier for Hiro to access than it had for her.

"Eh, I was always the better twin," he chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true," she admitted. Mako stroked her fingers through the dirt around the roses planted in front of her, giving them some of her power. "I'm glad you planted these here. Mother and Father would have liked them."

"Yeah," he replied softly, "I know." Not wanting to dwell on their parents' passing, he went back to the original reason he'd come out to find her. "Where's Bardock?"

"With Serenity and some of her guards, speaking with the king on the ship. I've had my damned fill of peace negotiations for two days; I had to get out of there for a little while."

"War was easier," Hiro remarked. "A lot less arguing, and a lot more of just blowing shit up."

"Yeah, I hate to admit it, but you're right. I'd take a good old fight right now over listening to the Lady and his Majesty bicker over one asinine detail. It's almost like they want to go to war again," she sputtered.

"A lot of us do," he said quietly. "Not me, but more Altheans than you think. There's even been talk about killing your mate in revenge."

Mako's head snapped up and she glared at her brother. "But he didn't do anything! He wasn't even here!" She shouted, and quickly relayed through her mating bond an order for him to watch his back, and that she was returning.

"Don't worry, Mako, anyone I've heard talking about it, I've calmed them down and explained that to kill him would pretty much be sentencing you to death. I've read about how Saiyan mating bonds work, and while our people might condemn him, they won't condemn you."

"Not all of them," she corrected.

"You got me there. There's a little hostility towards you, too, but not one of our people would risk killing your son, even as collateral damage. Half-Saiyan or not, he's just a baby."

Mako nodded, feeling just a touch of relief. But still… "All the same, I'll feel better once we're on our way to Earth. I feel like I'm on the defensive here even more than I was on Vegeta-sai."

#######################

Vegeta woke to the sound of purring, only to realize that it was coming from Usagi, and he grinned at the sound. She must be having some dream to cause that reaction.

And Kami, he was happy! What the fuck was up with that!? He was _never _this happy. It was almost like an afterglow or something, but he knew damn well he hadn't gotten laid the night before, especially since Usagi was still fully clothed—and not beating him into the next dimension.

Then he felt it, a wave of pleasure coursing through his body, travelling up his spine and down his legs. "What the…?" He relaxed and laid back down next to the bundle of blonde hair as the sensations continued, arousing him and relaxing him at the same time. He shot up out of the bed when he caught a flash of brown out of the corner of his eye, entwined with a rope of silver.

Usagi frowned and rolled to her side a little, her arm and tail both reaching out in search of him, before she mumbled something in Saiyan and dozed back off.

Vegeta simply stared at the brown appendage waving at him in front of his face, stark disbelief written all over his features. "My tail," he whispered in Saiyan. He reached out and carefully snagged it, running his fingers through the fur. Pleasure immediately ran up his back, and his knees went a little weak at the realization that this was very likely not some dream.

He then proceeded to stare at the blonde in his bed with equal wonder. She'd done this. He'd dreamed of silver light, of floating along in a sea of tranquility, and when he'd felt a kiss on his lips and that pleasure running up his spine, it had become one of the best dreams he'd had all week.

Usagi grumbled crankily when she felt a tug on her arm, and swore in Saiyan, telling the person who would dare to wake her to fuck off and take a flying leap. "I'm tired, damn it, and my ki's low," she mumbled. She heard a chuckle, then suddenly moaned with pleasure as something soft wrapped around her tail and squeezed very gently.

"Wake up, Usa," Vegeta crooned with excitement, slowly rubbing his tail against hers, forcing another soft moan from her throat. "Keep making that noise and I'll have to kiss you, too," he said with a genuine smile. When she began to purr again, he bent his head to hers and slowly began to explore her mouth with his own, tasting her on occasion with a hint of his tongue. His tail was really starting to go to work, gently pulsing as he flexed it to squeeze her lightly every few moments, while she began to move against him, returning his kiss and whispering in Saiyan.

Gods, she was so fucking sexy.

"Alright, woman, it's time to wake up," he said pleasantly. He reluctantly unwrapped his tail from hers when she started to squeeze it back, knowing that if she did that for much longer, she'd wind up bitten and bedded.

"Geta, I'm tired," she replied, cracking her eyes open. "I had a long night, and of course, you'd choose a fine fucking time to wake me up from a great dream. Asshole."

"Great dream, huh? What was it about?" He asked with feigned curiosity. When she blushed and informed him that it was none of his damned business, he grinned ear to ear. "Was it like this?" His tail wrapped around hers once more and proceeded to squeeze her, moving in the same way it had before.

Usagi suddenly remembered why she was so tired and shot up in bed, jerking her tail roughly from his, making them both cringe in pain. "Ow," they said simultaneously. "Sorry," Usagi added. "You surprised me." She stroked the soreness from her tail, and eyed him suspiciously. "Were you kissing me in my sleep, Geta?"

"Hey, you were the one rubbing on my tail," he argued happily. "Not that I'm complaining." He shook his head and just looked at her in wonder for a moment. "Usagi, at this very moment, if you were my mate, the things I would be doing to you right now… Kami, your toes would be curling… how did you do it? You regrew my tail overnight while you slept?"

Usagi blushed and backed away from him a little when he sat down. She wondered just what kind of things a man could do to make a woman's toes curl, and she turned an even brighter shade of red at the thought of him doing them to her. Damn it all to hell, all that tail rubbing had her aroused, and seeing him naked and gorgeous— and gods… that man was gorgeous! Her dreams of him had hardly done him justice! "Geta, I really need to get out of here," she said softly.

"Why?" He sniffed the air tentatively, and grinned lecherously. "Are you sure you want to leave so quickly, Usa? I could make it better, if you'd like." He laughed when her eyes got as big as saucers and she nearly fell off the bed trying to get further away from him. Vegeta quickly wrapped his tail around her thigh to yank her forward, keeping her from tipping over onto the floor, and smiled happily once more at the sight of it. "Kami, I still can't believe you did it."

"I didn't do it overnight," she said shakily, unable to ignore the soft fur that was rubbing against her upper inner thigh as if it had a mind of its own. She didn't think Vegeta was consciously doing it, though, so she kept her mouth shut. "I waited until you were out cold, and regrew it over the course of a few hours. I used my ki to keep you asleep and numb the pain."

"That's why you're so tired. What time did you get to sleep?"

Usagi shrugged, and gingerly plucked his tail off of her leg. It was starting to feel way too good, in her opinion, and with the way it was gradually snaking upwards, it would be stroking her intimately soon. "It doesn't matter, you know as well as I do that I've run on way less sleep than what I got." She squeaked in alarm when he suddenly reached out, jerked her into his lap, and began kissing her so passionately that her toes were in fact, curling. Her fingers were clutching desperately at his hair, and she moaned when his tail wrapped around hers once more and started that lovely squeezing all over again.

When he finally pulled away, she could barely see his face through the haze of desire he'd built inside of her, and she yanked him back down for another kiss. She could feel him holding back, however, giving her his mouth, but easing off on the intensity of it as he uncurled his tail from hers. "Kami, woman, I want you so badly," he groaned, slowly pulling away.

"So, that's what real tailplay's like," she groaned right along with him.

"Wait, you never…" Vegeta grinned despite his pounding arousal.

"Geta," Usagi said flatly, trying to keep the patronizing tone out of her voice, "I was sent off-world a year after you were. I was thirteen. Until Raditz, I'd never even been kissed by a man, or done tailplay. Rei was showing me how it was done one day, and he took over. Now I know why," she added bitterly. "And playing house as kids doesn't count for the kissing, either."

Vegeta frowned at the thought of Raditz trying to kiss Usagi, even if she had made him eat dirt and apologize. "So, who's the better kisser?"

"Are you fucking serious?" She snorted. "Gods, Geta, you're not some hormonal sixteen year old. Grow up, already." She threw her hands in the air when he only continued to stare at her, waiting for an answer. "Fine," she sputtered in indignation. "You're the better kisser. And definitely better at tailplay. Happy?"

"Somehow I don't believe you," he purred, sliding a little closer to her on the bed.

"If being the better kisser means that you can't walk straight for a whole day and wind up black and blue, I'd be more than happy to give you the same treatment that I gave Radu," she warned him. "If you really want me to compare, though, maybe I should go over to Kakarot's and lay one on him just to double-check," she teased.

"Woman, you'll do no such thing," he growled, as his tail shot out to snag her by her ankle and drag her over to him. "You're mine, you understand me?"

"Shh, Geta, it's alright," she said gently, stroking his jawline. "I was joking." Gods, maybe giving him back his tail was a bad idea, he was awfully adept at snagging things—namely her—with it.

"Oh." He shook his head a little, as if to clear it, before running his mouth down the length of her throat. "Mine," he murmured.

"Vegeta, this is still a little weird," she whispered, trying her hardest not lean into him.

"Sorry, it's just… having my tail back is making me very horny," he admitted. "And everything in me right now wants to claim you, wants to know what it feels like to be inside you," he growled against her ear, making her shiver. "But you're not ready, so I'll wait," he finally finished, brushing his lips against hers. "You're worth every fucking minute of the waiting."

She sighed a little. "I wish you'd never been sent away, Geta. Maybe things would have been different."

Vegeta nodded in agreement. "We would have gone through that awkward teenage phase together, complete with the voice changes and the fooling around behind my father's back."

"We would have been ready at the same time, too. Fucking Frieza. I envy Kakarot, and the fact that he got to kill that freak."

"You and me both," he said dryly. "Look, woman, I'll make you a proposition."

Usagi studied him warily. "What?"

"We just do the teenage thing, minus the acne and the voice changes. Until you're ready for me."

"And what, exactly, does that entail?" For the life of her, she couldn't keep the touch of interest out of her voice, and she knew he'd heard it.

"Basically what we've been doing. Just kissing, fooling around a little. Some tailplay. Just enough to sate me without taking things too far." He smirked when she seemed to be considering it. "Oh, don't even pretend you didn't enjoy it, woman. I can still smell your arousal in the air."

"I don't know, Vegeta. It's—it's tempting, and yes, I liked it, but it just feels so weird to me. To think that I'm kissing _you_, for gods' sakes. You're… I know you're not my brother, but…" She shrugged helplessly, unable to put what she was feeling into words.

At least she'd admitted he wasn't her brother. That was a start. "Think about it," he suggested patiently, followed by a chaste kiss.

Surprised by the amount of restraint he was showing, she nodded. "I will. Now… I think we both need a cold shower and some sparring time."

"I agree. Meet you downstairs… unless you'd like to join me and make it a hot shower?" He grinned when she rolled her eyes at him and slid off the bed, padding quietly back to her own room.

##############

Usagi's eyes lit up as she silently entered the kitchen to find Bulma having an animated conversation with Raditz, of all people. And she knew that look in his eyes all too well. She felt a rush of relief for herself and triumph for her friend. Thank every god in the universe, Radu was finally interested in someone besides her! Woo! She made her way back to the stairwell, not wanting to interrupt their discussion, and grinned to herself. Now, if she could just figure out what to do about Vegeta.

"Waiting for me, woman?" An amused voice asked from behind her. Speak of the devil.

"You wish," she snorted. "Actually, Raditz seems to have taken an interest in Bulma, and I didn't want to walk in and keep him from putting the moves on her. I wonder if he felt the pull… he seems to have forgotten me awfully fast. Gods, I hope he did," she added cheerfully. "He deserves it."

"Damn, this is shaping up to be a great morning," he remarked, kissing her on the cheek. "I've got Raditz covered, so let's go raid the fridge."

True to his word, Raditz halted his flirting the moment they walked into the kitchen, but not because of Usagi. His eyes had caught sight of Vegeta's tail, and they'd gone wide in disbelief. "Highness, your tail!"

Vegeta grinned when Bulma said something with equal amazement, and simply pointed at Usagi. "She grew it back last night while I was sleeping."

"Vegeta, I'm truly thrilled for you," Raditz said in awe. "Usagi, you too tired to spar?"

"Never!" She called from the fridge where she was rooting around, trying to find a decent breakfast for herself and her prince.

"Good, because my brother's brat wanted to come over and join us. He's a tough little bastard, so don't underestimate him."

"I won't," she replied amicably, before pulling out two cartons of eggs and two pounds of bacon.

"Let me do that," Bulma offered, "you look exhausted, Usagi."

The blonde nodded in gratitude, sitting next to Vegeta and laying her head on the counter. She purred with pleasure when she felt a strong hand creeping up her neck, massaging the stiff muscles.

Vegeta gave Raditz a grin when the older Saiyan made a gesture towards his dozing comrade. "Later," Vegeta mouthed, moving his hands to her shoulders and eliciting a soft moan from her mouth. Kami, it was tempting to just scoop her up, take her back to bed, strip her down, and give her a _real_ massage… one that would hopefully end with her legs wrapped around his waist.

Usagi raised her head when Bulma slid her a cup of coffee. "Extra strong," the human woman informed her, before handing her a plate of food.

"Thanks, Bulma," she said wearily, and sipped at her coffee slowly. Once she had a full belly, she only felt even more lethargic.

"Usa, you need to get back in bed," Vegeta chided. "If I'd known you were truly this tired, I would have let you sleep."

"Vegeta, you're such a bad liar," she grumbled. "You know as well as I do that you would have woken me anyway, the moment you found your tail was back, squealing a jumping for joy like a little boy that had gotten his first set of armor."

"Alright, woman, you've got me," he grunted. "Let's go train for a few hours, then you're taking a nap."

"We'll see, Geta," Usagi replied, not willing to argue the point.

True to his word, they sparred for six hours, rather than ten, until Usagi finally conceded that she needed to rest. Vegeta had been wanting to force her to rest for over two hours, but he wasn't about to push the issue unless it made her sick, having decided that the easier route was making her admit it herself.

The prince swore viciously in Saiyan when she floated down next to him, bobbing like a drunken bumblebee, and stumbled when she landed. "Alright, woman, let's get you in bed." He scooped her into his arms, and when she didn't protest the action, he felt a pang of worry. Maybe he should have forced her, afterall. "Are you alright, Usagi?"

She nodded wearily. "Exhausted. Bed."

"Kami, woman, you should have stopped well before now." He shot into the air and simply entered from the balcony in his room before stripping her of her sweat-soaked clothes. He swatted lightly at her hand when she tried to stop him, and got her in a warm bath before she could protest further. "When did you get this one?" He asked, pointing to her hip.

Usagi managed to crack her eyes open just enough to look down, blushed, and thrashed against him weakly.

"Woman, seriously? If I was going to claim you, I would have done it five minutes ago, when you were practically asleep on your feet," he huffed impatiently. "Since I can't leave you alone for fear you'd drown, I'm bathing you. Then, woman, you're going to bed. Understand?"

Usagi relaxed and nodded. "Sorry, Geta, I just reacted. You don't know how hard it was on Vegeta-sai, trying to fend off so many suitors. Even my men were no match for me, but when you're bombarded with five attempts in one day… Father finally ordered them all to play fair with his daughter or face his wrath. Imagine that, huh?" She yawned. "Father, of all people, telling soldiers to play fair. Shit, he's the one that taught us to fight dirty."

"Yes, but that's different, Usagi. Trying to claim a female… it's a matter of honor, damn it. You don't jump her right after she's fought hard to fend off a previous suitor only minutes beforehand."

"Anyway, I trust you, Geta," she said with a soft smile and a stroke to his cheek.

He sighed in contentment before turning to the task at hand, and that was getting her clean. "So, the tattoo on your hip?"

"My first ink. Did it myself when Tarble and I were stranded." It was the six-starred sunburst of Vegeta-sai, the most-worn tattoo on the planet besides the mark of the army. The bursts were ordered in a star pattern, with the sixth in the center, representing the soldier, and the other five stood for strength, honor, family, loyalty, and duty.

"What order do you hold them in?" Vegeta asked out of curiosity. Every soldier held the five gifts of the gods in a different order, but most of them never told which order, except to those they trusted the most. That particular tidbit of information could be extremely revealing, and used against the warrior in question.

When she smirked and lifted an eyebrow, he chuckled. "Fine then, me first, woman. Strength. Honor. Family. Loyalty. Duty." Great, now she was frowning. Obviously, his answer didn't please her.

"Honor. Family. Loyalty. Duty. Strength."

"Kami, you _are_ a girl."

"And you either just lied or you're more confused than you think you are. Rethink your answer, Vegeta, and rethink it carefully. And not just to please me, either."

"What do you mean?" He pushed down the wave of anger he felt, and it was only because of the flash of disappointment in her eyes.

"Geta, I'm your family. Tarble's your family. Kakarot and Raditz. Hell, even your father. You would put your training and strength before any of us?"

"Fine, woman," he sighed, knowing that she was right. The answer he'd given her was the order he'd held the five gifts last year… but did it still hold true? "I'll need longer than a few minutes to give you an answer, Usagi." He felt a rush of relief when she nodded in understanding, and proceeded to wash the rest of her carefully.

Usagi dozed off in complete trust, and only roused a little bit when he dried her off and tucked her into his bed. "Stay with me," she whispered.

Vegeta couldn't keep the smile from his eyes when he heard those words, and obligingly slipped in beside her with his shorts still on. "Oh no, woman, on your other side," he ordered, when he felt her bare breasts press against his chest. "Or your stomach." The sensation felt delicious. So delicious that he wanted to kiss her until she was drunk on him, and take her soft and slow, just like he had in his most recent dreams.

Usagi didn't hesitate, despite the fact that either position would completely expose her tail to him, and rolled onto her stomach. She'd told him that she trusted him, and she hadn't been lying. She heard him sigh in relief at her choice of position before she felt his arm and tail wrap around her waist, the latter of the two staying away from her own.

"Sleep, Usa, I've got you."

**God, lots of reviews to answer, wow.**

**RoF: heya, good to see you again! Hope you liked the Rei and Turles brawl, hehe… and the aftermath, of course. She definitely got claimed the Saiyan way that first night lol.**

**Sesshy: Yes, I actually have a huge soft spot for what I've written so far for Bulma and Raditz, and I hope you like it too! It'll all be coming up in a couple chapters.**

**Ana: Nah, it got a *little* fluffy for them, I couldn't help it. Saiyans can show tenderness, even if only for their mates. **

**Crispy: thank, as always :D**

**Selene A: Yup, Bulma and Raditz, lol. And Goku's ink is fresh, yo.**

**Ok, now! Q&A! Krissy and Deva, I see yall had the same question. To clarify, Vegeta is NOT a Super Saiyan yet. He is when he dreams, because that's all he ever dreams about (besides Usagi), is attaining that life-long goal. To place this fic in the DBZ timeline, this is BEFORE the androids. I tweaked a couple things, such as Goku NOT being on Namek for training, but this is actually right before the Trunks/Android Saga.**

**Ok, Goku and needles. Deva, re-read that section, sugar. Chi-Chi beat his fear of needles out of him years ago. It's mentioned, I swear.**

**And the moon? Dude, Piccolo blew that the fuck up in like, season one, when Gohan went Oozaru. There is no moon!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Aaaaaand I'm back. Sorry I got distracted by my new fic, Attraction, since I have a bit of a closet Piccolo obsession. Guess I'm out of the closet now, lol. Check it out if you'd like, I've been having an awful lot of fun writing it, and while like most of my fics, it gets smutty, I focused a lot more on emotion in this fic than sex, because that's what I think it's about. Love over lust and all that. So, enjoy this chapter, yall, and PLEASE R&R! To the few that did review on the last chapter, THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU!**

**Ana: I love you most of all. Always. BEST. FUCKING. BETA. EVER.**

**SeleneA: 1. Gimme about… 3 chapters. 2. I'm not even sure yet. 3. Yes.**

**ChibiSilver: In that case, I'm pretty sure you're gonna be extremely effing happy with this chapter!**

**ChibiHime: Yeah, Vegeta still reigns as King of the Trolls, but Usagi has no problems stepping up to the plate as Queen.**

Mako relaxed for the first time in days, leaning against the tree that shadowed her parents' graves. The negotiations were finally over, thank the gods, so her and Bardock would be continuing to Earth in the morning. She'd already said her goodbyes to her brothers and cousins, and even Taru had shown up for a hug and few words of friendship.

She chuckled when she felt a quiet rumble beneath her, Hiro's signal that he was looking for her. Returning it automatically, she felt a rush of warmth and nostalgia for her childhood. Another rumble came, this time punctuated with tingles of electricity, and she giggled as she replied, speaking in their secret language for the first time since the siege. It was similar to speaking Ki, like the Saiyan Elite used, and other earthmovers used certain seismic waves to communicate. But this language was all their own, an equal mixture of thundershaking and earthmoving that no one else could decipher but them.

Her twin found her easily by following the ripples through the earth, and sighed with relief to find her alone. "You two need to leave before sundown," he said flatly.

"Huh? Why?" Immediately, Mako felt a wave of worry and shame through their twin bond, and climbed to her feet. "What happened?" She asked knowingly.

"There are plans to kill Bardock tonight, while the two of you are sleeping, and there are a few thundershakers involved, so it worries me." Hiro swallowed and shook his head. "And a lightbreaker. Not Taru," he added quickly, "but there's been talk among lots of our people. The plan is to kill him and take you alive. No one can agree on whether or not your child should be spared."

She sat down hard, trembling in fear at how sure he sounded, and her hands covered her stomach protectively. "Yes, we'll leave right away, then. Fuck sundown, we'll leave now. If they kill Bardock, it'll be over my dead body, and quite a few of theirs, as well."

"That's what I tried to tell them, that there wasn't a chance in hell they'd take you alive if they tried to kill your mate or your child, but no one would listen to me. Come on," he urged, "I'll walk you to the ship. Two earthmovers are better than one."

"You won't have to walk me far," she muttered dryly, "Bardock likely felt my fear through the bond, and if there was ever a way to summon a Saiyan male… see, like I said." She pointed to the figure flying towards them and shrugged. "Saiyan men are very predictable."

Neither of them was ready for the sudden blast of electricity that shot through the air, or the several that followed it, along with a dark beam of power, shooting straight at Bardock. Feeling the air rush from her lungs as she was shoved into the dirt by her brother, Mako screamed at Bardock through the bond, since she couldn't do it out loud.

_**STAY IN THE AIR! DON'T TOUCH THE GROUND, AND FOCUS ON JUST DODGING THE LIGHTBREAKER'S ATTACKS! STAY IN THE FUCKING AIR!**_

Focusing her gifts, Mako firmly thumped her fists into the ground, making the earth move in waves, which she sent out into the trees, where she could sense the vibrations from their attackers' footsteps. "The fuck is this, Hiro?" She asked quickly.

"I don't know, they must have followed me, knowing I'd warn you." Being the most skilled at sparring with lightning, Hiro rapidly got on his feet and expertly dodged the flashes of death shot directly for both of them. "Stay down!" He shouted at his twin, gathering his own power as he prepared to strike. "Just cover me with the earthmoving!"

"BARDOCK!" She screamed, when a beam of darkness hit him in the side, and he began to fall to the ground. Her fist shot down into the dirt, and she softened the ground beneath him, but it wasn't necessary. He was regaining his control, and shooting back up into the air, zigzagging around bolts of lightning and lightbreaker energy. _**GET TO THE SHIP!**_ She cried, climbing to her feet. "I've had enough of this!" She yelled, as lightning began to rain down out in the trees, a result of her rage. Hiro was the best at sparring, but she was the best at killing, and she wasn't going to hesitate to destroy whoever was out in those trees.

Hiro and Bardock both looked to the chestnut haired woman as she stalked towards their attackers, a glow of crackling energy engulfing her form. An orb of dark light flew at her, which she zapped down with ease as the earth began to tremble beneath her feet.

"MAKO! GET DOWN!" Bardock raged, still trying his damnedest to dodge while he worked his way towards her. His ki flaring wildly, he joined in with his mate, blasting at those that would dare try to harm his her, as he let the Saiyan bloodlust take over.

She growled when the lightbreaker in the trees managed to wing her in the shoulder, and clutched at the burning in her arm. "Fucking cunt," she swore, grinning savagely as she felt the lightbreaker thud to the ground from the violent moving under her feet. Then she heard screaming above her, and looked up to see her mate crying out in his rage, his hair flickering back and forth between black and gold while an enormous amount of energy gathered around him. "Holy shit," she whispered.

"GET DOWN!" Hiro yelled, tackling her into the ground once more.

Just before a ridiculously large blast came from her mate and incinerated the trees and the Altheans hiding in them, she felt a wave of deep emotion through her mating bond; mostly rage at seeing her harmed, but there was love there, too, and a reassurance that he would make sure she wasn't harmed by his Saiyan nature.

Mako clung to the ground when the recoil of the blast whooshed over her and her brother, and sent Bardock a message of her own love for him through their bond. That was when she heard a grunt over her, and looked up to see him staring down at her intently. "I never thought you'd be able to pull it off, but blonde isn't too bad a look on you, beloved."

Bardock's lips twitched up in a ghost of a smirk as he reached down and plucked Hiro off of her, setting him on his feet. "You alright, boy?"

"Fine, check Mako, she got hit by a dark orb." They both lifted her to her feet, grimacing immediately at the sight of her severely burned shoulder. "You need to see Serenity," he said quickly, glancing back at the city.

"Not a chance," Bardock growled, "my mate is not going back to the capitol, only to be attacked again." He shook his head in frustration. "But she does need a healer."

"I'm already on it," Hiro replied, stomping his foot into the earth in a basic code. Ruka or Sets would feel it and bring help.

"I'm fine," she sputtered, when Bardock scooped her up, careful not to put any pressure on her obviously painful injury. "Bardock, really, I'm ok," she insisted, kissing him lightly. "I've had way worse than this."

"Not while you were carrying my brat, though," he countered, steadily walking them towards the ship. He would have flown, but he knew that Hiro couldn't, and he owed Mako's twin for protecting her so well during the fight. Bardock sure as hell wasn't going to leave him behind to be slaughtered by any others that might show up to finish the job. "Any other injuries?"

"Just bruises and scrapes," she assured him, running a soothing hand over his arm in an attempt to calm him. She could feel that bloodlust still running through him, waiting to surface any moment at the first sign of danger to his mate and child. "I was about to bury them all, you know, before you decided to go all Legendary on their asses. I'll admit, though, your way was far more entertaining."

"So, that's what happened," Hiro said softly, his voice full of respect and awe for the Saiyan mated to his sister.

Bardock lightly slapped her hand away from his side. "Barely a scratch," he mumbled. "Leave it alone, woman." He immediately floated a foot above the ground and glared suspiciously towards the city when he felt a tremor under his feet. "Was that another message, or do we have company?" He growled.

Hiro stomped his foot a couple of times, and nodded slowly to himself when a reply came. "Lady Serenity is at the ship, awaiting our arrival. Ruka, Sets, and Taru are with her, so we'll be safe."

Mako shifted in Bardock's arms, freeing up one of them. "Would you carry my brother too, then, love?" She asked gently. She smiled when he grunted at her in response and wrapped his arm around her brother's waist, taking off into the air.

Hiro wanted to kiss the earth when they finally landed, trying to still the trembling in his hands. "Flying is not for me," he muttered.

"You get used to it," his sister assured him, rolling her eyes when Bardock wouldn't put her down, instead switching his grip so he was once again carrying her bridal style. "I'm fine, Bardock," she insisted for the twentieth time, nodding to Serenity as they closed in on the ship.

"I felt the earth move quite a bit," she said hurriedly, moving quickly to assess Mako's injuries. The woundbinder simply glared at Bardock when he growled at her. "You want my help or not?" She snapped. "Super Saiyan or not, you can't heal your mate."

"Know this, woman. If my mate had been killed, I would have flash fried this entire dirt ball, all of your people included. And I don't care whether you knew about the attack or not. We're no longer at war, and you need to rein in your people a little bit better. This would have never happened on Vegeta-sai." Bardock set Mako down then, his gentleness with her completely at odds with the snarl in his voice.

"It did happen on Vegeta-sai!" Serenity countered. "Your people attacked her after she was outed as an earthmover, or did you forget?"

"What I meant, is they never would have attacked one of their own, much less a pregnant woman. Now heal my mate, so we can get the fuck off of this rock. You'll be lucky if I can convince the king not to send warriors to retaliate."

Visibly sputtering, Mako smacked his arm. "Over my dead body!" She shouted. "Some of them might be misguided, but they're still my people!" She rolled her eyes when he merely pointed at her shoulder, both in an order to get it healed, and a clear message that an injury done to her would not go unanswered. "Cool your heels, monkey man."

Tearing away the charred cloth on her shoulder, she bared her arm to the healer and let her go to work. "Now him, please. I know damned well that lightbreaker clipped him in the air."

"I'm fine," Bardock rumbled.

There were only two ways to truly threaten a male Saiyan, and Mako chose to use both of them. "Bardock, so help me, if you don't let Serenity heal you, you will be cooking your own damned food and finding yourself alone in bed at night!" Green clashed with green as they glared at each other, and Mako smirked when he was the first one to look away. So much for being a Legendary Super Saiyan. "Lady, please heal him."

"I see that Mako's learned how to truly terrify a Saiyan," the woundbinder chuckled, examining the hole in his armor. She shook her head in amazement at the wound; if he hadn't been Saiyan, he wouldn't have been standing.

Bardock wasn't about to admit that the threat of having to cook for himself would have been more than enough to make him bend to her will; not only was his cooking inedible, he'd grown awfully used to having his Saiyan appetite catered to. It was a wonder that he hadn't gained fifty pounds of fat just from her desserts.

Serenity looked up at him when he shifted to look towards the city once more, making sure that they weren't in danger. "Hold still," she whispered, "or I'll tell her that the wound went all the way through."

He immediately froze, knowing all too well what his mate's reaction would be to that. She'd scream her head off at him for carrying her, for not telling her that the wound was grave, and then for not having Serenity heal him first. Then she'd probably cry. The screaming he could deal with, but Mako's tears unnerved him like nothing else.

Serenity rolled her eyes when he merely grunted his thanks once she was finished, and went straight into the ship. "Mako, assure Bardock and the king that nothing like this will happen again. If any landing Saiyan is attacked, the ones responsible will be put to death. I expect the same courtesy from Vegeta."

"Yes, Lady." Mako nodded to the others, who she'd already said her goodbyes to; they'd all assured her that they would put down anyone that was involved with the attack that hadn't participated in it actively, and she knew that they would be as good as their word. "Heal Hiro, too, please. He got banged up a little."

"I'll be alright," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Hugging his sister tightly, he pointed to the ship. "I'd hoped to talk to you more today before you left, but you can't stay any longer. It's not safe, Mako. If you can, contact me when you reach Earth."

"I will."

Mako boarded the ship, and found Bardock already speaking with King Vegeta, who was clearly still trying to get over his awe at the sight of a Legendary Super Saiyan.

"She's on board," Bardock grunted, firing up the engines. "We're lifting off, Majesty."

Her mouth formed a hard line when she spied the hole in the back of his armor, but she chose to keep her mouth shut for the moment. It wasn't everyday her mate had the king speechless on the other end of the line. She grinned a little at that as she approached the console. "His hair's almost pretty, isn't it?" She teased.

King Vegeta blinked at that and just shook his head. "The brat's unharmed, woman?"

"Yes, sire, thank you for asking. Kale is just fine."

"Good. I wouldn't want to be responsible for the purging of your homeworld." He tipped her a nod when she opened her mouth to yell at him. "Quiet for once, woman. I won't be attacking your people. Frankly, I'm a little to blame, since I should have anticipated such a thing, but I'd hoped that a real peace could be achieved. But just to be clear, if your brat had been harmed, I don't think I could have stopped your mate from purging Althea the moment you'd gotten into space."

Mako thought hard about that for a moment, her mouth turning down in a frown. If Kale had been harmed or lost, she didn't think she would have stopped Bardock or protested. She would have gone cold, just like she had during the siege, only to regret giving into that seductive, icy, fury later on.

And with that, she understood why Bardock would have went berserk if she'd died during the fight, and came to fully accept every aspect of the man she was mated to. And to let him know it, she sent a wave of comfort, love, and acceptance through their bond before retiring to the bedroom to get some much needed rest.

She'd scream at him about the hole in his armor later.

###############

When Usagi woke in Vegeta's bed, stark naked, she flushed in embarrassment, followed by a wave of surprise. Thank the gods she could trust him. It would have taken no effort for him to claim her while she was sleeping, especially while she'd been having such a vivid dream about him. It hadn't been a real dream, but it sure had been intense.

If Vegeta had so much as kissed her during that dream she would have jumped him. "Gods, I really need to get a handle on this," she groaned, flopping back into the pillows as she recalled what she'd seen.

He'd been in fully ascended Super Saiyan glory in her dream, his green eyes focused solely on her as he'd approached her out on the sparring field. And for some reason, she'd been afraid of him, and she'd bolted. There had been an edge of desire there, too, but mostly she'd been scared.

Vegeta had given chase without hesitation, but he'd toyed with her endlessly, letting her escape just as she'd thought she'd been caught. Finally, he'd pinned her against a tree, chuckling in amusement as she struggled against him futilely. The struggles had turned into begging and pleading, and then finally she'd sagged against him in defeat, trembling in her fear of him.

He'd kissed her then, with such intensity that it was a wonder that she hadn't caught fire, and he'd taken her roughly, but she'd enjoyed every moment of it.

"Well, it's obvious that my dreams are trying to tell me not to fight the inevitable," she sighed with annoyance, "that I might as well give in and enjoy it."

"That good of a dream, huh?"

Usagi gave a tiny shriek and dove under the covers before peeking out her head and glaring at him silently.

Vegeta chuckled and set some of her clothes on the bed before perching on the edge and smirking at her. "So… what was your dream about?" He grinned when she narrowed her eyes and gave a little growl. "Wow. That good, huh? I hope I live up to your expectations," he added silkily.

Usagi blushed brightly at that and swallowed. After the real dreams she'd had about him, she knew without a doubt that he'd live up to any and all expectations that she could set. She licked her lips at the thought before lowering the blanket enough to reveal her face below her eyes. "Geta… have you ever…"

When she didn't finish the sentence, he reached out to gently push her hair away from her face. "Usa, you can ask me anything," he said seriously.

She seemed to ponder that for a long moment before nodding and looking back up at him. "The green-eyed warrior I've been dreaming about since I came of mating age…"

"Yes," he answered without hesitation, "though I didn't realize it until a couple months ago. The dreams have been real all this time."

A couple months ago? That coincided with when her warrior had first spoken to her, had first mated with her with something besides that driving Saiyan need. Usagi swallowed hard before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper. "So, all this time… we've been…"

"Yeah," he replied huskily. "But somehow I don't think it's going to even compare to the real thing."

Usagi bit back a sigh of pleasure when he reached out and his fingers whispered over her jaw, to caress her throat. "Still weird, Geta."

"You can only use that excuse for so long, woman." He kissed her tenderly and purred with pleasure when he felt her return it, her lips moving slowly over his. "Usa… please…"

"The teenage thing," she gasped, her fingers tangling in the upsweep of his hair, as she spoke between kisses. "Can… can we do that?"

The kiss deepened as he nodded, tipping her onto her back as he began to tug the covers separating his hands from her skin. He gave a little moan when her tail twined with his, but managed to hang onto his self-control to keep from going any further than petting, which his hands were happily participating in. "Still weird?" He chuckled, when she arched against him slightly and whimpered with need.

"Only a little bit," she admitted. Her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, she scooted out from under him quickly. "We should probably refrain from making out in the bed, Geta. Or at least while one of us is naked."

"Feh, I hate to admit it, but you're probably right." The temptation to rip back the blankets and seduce the living daylights out of her had been almost too strong for him to fight, but he couldn't help but feel proud over his level of restraint.

Her crystal blue eyes regarded him in a totally new light from across the bed. It was becoming less and less difficult to see him as her green-eyed warrior. "We'd better go train," she suggested softly.

"We will in a few minutes," he said with a smirk, as he used his tail to yank her back over to him, unable to keep himself from giving into temptation… at least a little bit. Vegeta shuddered with pleasure when her mouth immediately went to his chest. Her lips began to brush against his scars, followed by a bold tracing of each of them by her tongue. "Gods, Usagi… Let me pet your tail." It was more of a question than a demand, since petting with the hand was a step beyond simple tailplay, and ran the risk of leading to something more. His mouth went to her throat when her tail brushed against his arm trustingly, and he wasted no time, circling his calloused hand around it and rubbing the fur.

"Geta," she moaned softly, unable to keep her hips from rocking against his as she was flooded with blinding pleasure. Her mouth grew bolder, nipping at his skin as it moved over his collarbone and shoulder, as his hand fluffed through the fuzz of her tail, making the movements of her hips more demanding. "Please, Geta," she begged. "I… it feels like I'm burning up." Her teeth raked over his shoulder before she bit down just hard enough to bruise, causing him to quiver against her in anticipation.

"Kami, Usa. Don't bite me. Not yet, woman. If you do… I won't be able to stop, I know I won't." When she bit down once more, he pinned her down and kissed her forcefully to keep her from doing something she'd regret in the morning.

God, he had to slow them down. Her hands had gone to his hips, and the way she was clutching at them and whimpering into his mouth was a sure sign of what she wanted from him. He released her tail, and almost immediately, her urgency eased. He'd have to remember that for later, for the moment before he claimed her and she was sure to grow skittish. "Sorry about that," he gasped, once he was sure he could free her mouth without her giving him a mating mark. "I didn't know it would have that kind of an effect on you."

"I didn't know the effect would be so _intense_," she admitted, trying to get a hold over the throbbing need between her legs. "Gods, Geta, I'm still burning up. Don't ever grab my tail again unless you're going to do something about it."

"Sorry," he groaned, feeling very much like an inexperienced teenager. He rolled off of her and heaved a sigh of frustration. "Let's go train."

#################

Raditz raised an eyebrow at the sight of Usagi, and turned to his prince for an answer. "Frustrated," Vegeta said simply, when Usagi stalked out to Goku and his son, growling under her breath, her face flushed and her pulse racing.

"What did you do to her?" He wondered out loud. "Damn, Highness, I've never seen her that pissed."

"Ugh… I took tailplay a little too far," he admitted grudgingly. "I hate to ask you this, Raditz, but since we've always been squad-mates…"

"Just get her off, Vegeta. You used your hand on her tail?" Raditz couldn't help but snicker when Vegeta gave a slightly embarrassed nod before schooling his features into an expressionless mask.

"She damn near bit me, too. I had to pin her down to keep her from doing it."

"Ok, Vegeta." Raditz shuddered and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm giving the crown prince fucking pointers on mating… gods above. Listen up," he continued, once he was sure he could conceal his mirth. "Raise your ki when you're with her, if you continue to insist on not taking her right away. I'm assuming hers will be pretty low, especially if you're messing around with her tail. By raising your ki, she can't break the skin if she gets it in her to bite you, _and_ you're desensitizing yourself to any pleasure you're receiving, giving you more control."

Vegeta dropped the mask for just a moment, giving Raditz a look of naked gratitude. "Thank you, that answers quite a few questions."

"Please tell me that you don't need to be told how to please a woman," he snorted, and chuckled when Vegeta shot him a dirty look. "So… now I need something in trade."

The prince lifted a brow, wondering what he'd just gotten himself into. Damn it, he should have swallowed his pride and asked Kakarot about women. At least that baka wouldn't have asked for anything in return.

"So… Bulma…?"

"Oh." Vegeta suddenly grinned at the hint of desperation on Raditz's face. "You'll have to court that woman's ire, most likely. She likes it rough, and she'll be more responsive if you annoy the fuck out of her."

"Wait a damned minute," Raditz said angrily, "you haven't—"

"No, you fool!" Vegeta protested hotly. "Gods, _**no**_! While she's nice to look at, I'm not attracted to her in the slightest. I just know her type. She's not like Usagi. Usagi will have to be seduced a little, and she'll offer herself when she's ready. She already knows who she wants. Bulma will have to be seduced a lot, or goaded into it, and then taken before she stops you; she's got too much damned pride to ever admit when she's sexually interested in a man."

Raditz smiled slowly, already planning the seduction of his blue-haired vixen.

"She also can't handle her liquor, and she loves it when someone takes an interest in one of her gadgets."

"Sounds like you know her well," Raditz said, careful to keep a neutral tone.

"I pay attention to everything, just like any Saiyan warrior, and we've lived under the same roof for six months."

#########

Raditz set the tray down on the workbench next to Bulma, and gave her a light tap on the shoulder to alert her to his presence.

Bulma nodded slightly, not taking her eyes off of the circuit board that she was welding for Usagi. She finally cut off her torch and removed her goggles and mask before cutting off the music to her headphones and laying them on the bench. "What's up?" She asked sunnily.

"Thought you might be hungry." Raditz handed her a plate with several sandwiches, and his lips twitched in a smirk when her eyes shone with gratitude.

"Thanks! I didn't think Saiyan men were capable of fixing food. Vegeta just orders someone to make him something, and Goku's wife won't even let him in the kitchen."

"Prince Vegeta is a royal, he's used to being served. And since Kakarot's mated, it's his mate's responsibility to keep him fed in exchange for protection." When her expression became a little stony, he raised a brow in confusion. "What, woman?"

"Chi-Chi is perfectly capable of protecting herself, Raditz. She cooks for Goku because she loves him, and loves cooking. And Vegeta… well, he's just a douchebag. A likeable douchebag, but a douche nonetheless."

"He's a Saiyan prince," he replied, as if that were all the explanation required to explain his liege. He smirked again as he turned to her. "I know how to fix food out of self-preservation. I'm a third-class soldier, even if I am a member of the Elite. I won't find a mate as easily as a second or first class, and my class requires that I serve."

"Oh. I understand." Bulma took a bite of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully while she studied the Saiyan man towering next to her. He was just as physically attractive as Goku and Vegeta, so what in the hell was he talking about? She'd seen him sparring, and just like the other men, they had a tendency to take off their shirts when they got hot.

Her interest in him sharpened as she took him in as a whole. That strong jaw, those piercing eyes that she'd felt on her for days, and that perfect body… "Ok, I lied," she said bluntly. "I don't get it. At all." She put down her sandwich and circled him slowly, looking him up and down.

"What are you doing, woman?"

"I'm trying to figure out why in the hell you don't have a mate… just because you're third-class. Shit, Raditz, you've got a _great_ ass… hell, it's downright mouthwatering, and don't even get me started on the muscles. All of you Saiyans are chiseled as hell, so I guess I'll understand if Saiyan women aren't impressed by those. But your face is very handsome, you're ridiculously tall, and you fill out those jeans _very_ nicely," she finished with a tiny smile. She had only told Chi-Chi a million times how well Saiyan packages filled out a nice pair of tight jeans. "Don't get me started on that hair, either. I envy that damned hair. And while you don't talk much, you're genuine when you do choose to open your mouth. And you don't scowl as much as I thought you would," she chuckled. "I guess I came to expect it from sharing a house with Vegeta for half a year."

"Woman, did you just check me out?" He asked with a touch of surprise, and more than just a touch of glee.

"No," she stated bluntly, "I was merely recalling the assets that I'd _**already**_ checked out over the last few days," she snickered. "Hey, you look good." She shrugged when he lifted an eyebrow and his gaze sharpened with interest. "Don't take it the wrong way," she chuckled, "I can't help but looking at an attractive man. Hell, I look at Goku and Vegeta all the time." She knew she'd said something wrong when he suddenly scowled.

"Oh, so you're attracted to them," he said without even a trace of emotion.

"What!? God, no!" She laughed. "Goku's like my baby brother, for Kami's sake! And Vegeta…" she wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Ugh, that man has enough arrogance for twenty men. I can't fucking stand that, even if he is pretty much my best friend."

"So you're not attracted to them?" The wooden face was gone, the interest was back, but he just looked mostly confused.

"Women are hard to figure out, aren't we?" Bulma smiled slyly when he just shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Raditz, I'm not attracted to them. But it doesn't mean I can't aesthetically appreciate beauty. Even if that beauty's covered in sweat and is trying to shove someone else's face into the dirt. Huh. Maybe it's just the testosterone pouring off of you boys when you fight that's so sexy," she laughed.

She took another bite of her sandwich and swallowed to thank him when he handed her a solo cup filled with kool-aid. She took a swig, grimaced when it wasn't what she expected, and swallowed.

"Sorry, I'll get you something else. I saw you drinking it with supper last night, and I thought you liked it."

Bulma made a noise to stop him when he turned to leave, and smiled while she took another sip. "No, Raditz, it's fine. I just thought it was blackberry Kool-Aid or something, and didn't expect the taste of merlot in my mouth. So, you haven't answered my question."

"I'm third-class, woman."

"My name is Bulma," she corrected with a bit of bite in her voice. "I get enough of Vegeta calling me woman, and I'm telling you right now that I'm awfully tired of hearing it. And what does third-class have to do with anything?"

"Understood… Bulma," he replied with a smirk. "And since you're human, I'll try my best to explain. Third-class warriors are generally not very strong. I'm stronger than most, and my brothers are… well, Turles and Kakarot are both big exceptions to the general rule, as is my father. But there's a pecking order. I'm sure you can guess how that works. If I want a mate, and someone stronger than me wants her too, we'll most likely fight, and I'll most likely lose. The stronger warrior gets the woman."

"Whoa!" Bulma protested, suddenly stomping her foot. "What about what the woman wants!?" She practically shouted.

Raditz shrugged, as if it was obvious. "Saiyan women almost always want the man that's drawn to them. Mating is almost always a mutual thing. We don't feel a pull towards just _any _female. And if it's really what we just call 'the pull,' it is most definitely mutual, and the two almost always wind up mated. But if she didn't feel what's defined as a genuine pull, and if she's attracted to two warriors, she'll almost always go with the winner. But if she felt a genuine pull for the loser, she'll beat the shit out of the winner and choose the loser, if she's strong enough. If not…" He shrugged, as if the answer were obvious.

"What if she doesn't want him? Hypothetically?"

"Well, then her male relatives can beat the fuck out of the bastard to keep him from claiming her. The whole process, if it's not cut and dry, can get _very_ complicated and _very_ messy, depending on the number of suitors and the strength of anyone involved, frankly. You should have been there when Broly jumped to Usagi's defense," he snickered. "For a moment, we were all pretty confused, since he wasn't a relative or one of her guards."

He took a drink before continuing. "So, if he _does_ manage to claim her against her will, either because he didn't know how to please a woman, she wasn't strong enough to fight him off, or she lacked male relatives, which is an extremely uncommon occurrence, by the way… she could plead her case to the king and claim she was raped." That last statement was made very quietly, and followed by a shake of the head. "Such an accusation is a very serious crime on Vegeta-sai, and I assure you it's rare, even among the least civilized of us. The majority of Saiyan men have no taste for unwilling bed partners."

"I still don't completely get it," she reluctantly admitted. "Damn it, I hate it when I don't comprehend something."

"You're a smart woman, so it's understandable." He waved his hand to encompass her workshop. "You seem to understand a lot of strange things. Well, Saiyan customs are a lot stranger than all of this," he chuckled. "Especially the ones involving mating."

"And here I thought that men were easy to figure out," she snorted, taking another swallow of the wine. "Ok, I'm just trying to get this all straight in my head, so I apologize if I'm making you repeat yourself. You're telling me that the women on your planet actually **submit** to a man who has simply looked at her and decided that he wanted her?"

"Usually, the woman's looked at him, too, did you miss that part? There's a connection between the two at first, the pull, and the pair-bond is cemented by mating. Not all Saiyans feel the pull before taking a mate, but at least half of them do. And don't bring up Usagi, either. She's a rare exception, due to her status and her exotic coloring, so she was going to have scores of suitors whether she liked it or not."

"Well, at least Saiyans aren't promiscuous," she laughed. "There's something positive to say about your race!" She held up her glass in a toasting motion before she giggled again and took another drink.

Raditz grumbled a bit under his breath in Saiyan. "We're not inexperienced little boys, either, woman."

"Wait, wait, wait. You just told me that a man and a woman make a connection, and they mate. And I know that Saiyans mate for life. So how in the hell do you get sexual experience with more than one woman?" she asked incredulously.

"Non-Saiyan women, of course. And almost never after we've hit a certain age. A Saiyan male will sort of settle into a… waiting period after they've grown out of those adolescent hormones, and begin to watch for their true mate. After that, any woman we mate with, Saiyan or not, becomes a partner for life. Well, usually. There are times of desperation to get laid that can override that, but they're infrequent." He held up a hand when she opened her mouth to ask another question. "I already know what you're going to ask, woman. Be patient.

"When we conquer a planet, we don't kill everyone, obviously. And after a battle, it's only normal for a lot of the younger warriors to have a bit of fun. And no, those women aren't taken unwillingly," he huffed, when her eyes flashed with anger. "I've already told you, we don't have a lot of tolerance for things like rape, especially when it's easy enough to make a woman want it."

Bulma snorted in disbelief. "Ok, so you conquer a planet, you kill a woman's male relatives—her father, brothers, maybe her mate—and then you really think you can seduce her? Seriously? Of all the misogynistic, egomaniacal—"

"Woman, do you really think we're all monsters?" He snapped. "Gods, I can't speak for all of us, but I never tried to take a female after a conquest unless she showed interest. No one in my squad ever did, and I'm a member of one of the most brutal squads in the Saiyan army."

Bulma fiddled with her cup before looking up at him, embarrassed by her outburst. "I'm sorry, Raditz, I didn't mean anything against you personally. And well, the way you first came to this planet… it makes it hard not to assume the worst about your race, you know?"

"Ugh… woman, we need a change of subject." He looked down at the thing she'd been welding. "What's that supposed to be?"

Happy to let him take the reins on the conversation, she looked at him without looking in his eyes, still feeling bad about her assumptions. Ok, so they all weren't bad. And in fact, Raditz seemed to be a lot kinder, intelligent, and attractive than she'd initially found him. "It's for Usagi. She wants to call home, but she says her scouter isn't strong enough to transmit that far. So I'm making her a booster. Unfortunately, she wouldn't let me tinker with her scouter, so I'm having to guess just from looking at it," she grumbled, draining the last of her cup.

"If you took her scouter apart, could you accurately put it back together without ruining it?" He asked curiously. "It's alien technology to you, after all."

Bulma's pride swelled at such a ridiculous question. "A machine is a machine. They all run the same. Some just have different parts. I can put anything back together that I've taken apart. Hell, I was tipsy the last time I repaired the gravity room."

"You're tipsy now," he chuckled. "If I give you my scouter, is it going to blow up the moment it's in your hands?" He felt a real smile playing at his lips when she stared at him with a look of mixed disbelief and glee.

"You'd really let me take your scouter apart?" Bulma grinned when he nodded, and she jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Raditz! This is going to be so much fun, I've been wanting to get my hands on one of those things ever since you landed for the fir—" She gasped as she was cut off in mid-ramble by his lips pressing against hers, and instinctively returned the kiss. And like the first time she'd locked eyes with him, she felt a curious tug in her gut. Was this that pull thing he'd been talking about… ? Then she suddenly felt his tongue seeking entry to her mouth, and pulled away sharply, her eyes wide in shock. "Uh… I… Raditz?"

"Sorry," he mumbled, releasing her. "I shouldn't have done that. I'll go get the scouter." He scooped up the tray, leaving the plates, and quickly left her workshop before she could agree with him, partly in hopes that she would sit there and contemplate all of the information he'd just given her, and make the logical connections, and partly out of fear of being rejected by yet another female that he felt something more than friendship for.

He grabbed the bottle of wine from where he'd left it on his way back from the room he was crashing in for the night, and found Bulma sitting quietly where he'd left her. She was obviously in deep thought, and was nursing the cup of wine that he'd left behind. "Here," he said simply, carefully placing his scouter in front of her.

"Oh." Bulma blinked as she came out of her reverie, and blushed at the mere sight of him. "Um… thank you. I promise I won't break it."

"Please don't," he said with a touch of humor, "and don't hold Usagi's stinginess against her. A warrior's scouter is an important piece of equipment. It's not just for power level reading. It can be used to analyze plants and animals, it can be used to radio for help; it has quite a number of uses. Mine's saved my life on more than one occasion."

"Then I swear that I'll be extra careful with it, Raditz." She gave him a stunning smile that made him return it without thinking, and she found herself liking what that smile did to his face. She liked it a little too much, and was a little afraid to discover that she was thinking of other ways that she could make him smile like that again.

God, she had to stop thinking about things like that. Bulma put on a device similar to a jeweler's magnifying glass, worn over one eye, and carefully examined the scouter before using one of her tools to pry it open. It was surprisingly simple for a device that did so much. It was like a regular old computer, complete with a tiny, powerful motherboard and hard drive, and there it was, the radio. "Well, that was super easy. Got it!"

Bulma easily separated the radio from the rest of it, and used the glass over her eye to locate a very tiny antenna. "Alright, my beautiful little gadget, let's find out what makes you tick," she crooned, totally oblivious to the way Raditz was watching her with interest—and not just with an interest in what she doing to his beloved scouter.

"Here we go!" Bulma had just as easily and quickly dismantled the radio, and was now tinkering around with the transmitter. "Shit, this is easier than I thought." She pulled out her cell phone, took it apart right next to the remains of the scouter, and began to fashion a booster out of its pieces.

"What's that thing?" Raditz asked curiously.

"It's my own scouter. But it's alright, I can always build a new one in a few minutes," she added, when he looked at her in horror. "It's called a cell phone. It does the same sort of things a scouter does, but it's not quite as advanced. Well… most of them aren't," she added with a wry smile. "Mine is, since I built it myself. I'll just gank a few parts from mine to amplify yours, and then fix mine tomorrow." She frowned deeply. "At least that'll keep Yamcha from blowing up my fucking phone at all hours of the night when he wants to try and get laid," she added under her breath.

"Who's Yamcha?" Raditz asked, unable to hide the jealousy from his voice.

"Damned Saiyan hearing," she bitched to herself aloud. "He's my ex," she spat, "and I really hate his fucking guts sometimes. Piece of shit, cheating bastard, he thinks he's Kami's gift to women, and if he doesn't just leave me the fuck alone, I'm gonna build a blaster and send him straight to Hell," she growled.

"Want me to take him out?"

Bulma stopped what she was doing and choked a little on her response when she realized that he was dead serious. "No," she barely managed. "Thank you, but no. Gimme that thing," she said quickly, pointing at the bottle he'd brought down with him. She refilled her cup, and his as well. "Here's to exes," she muttered, drinking deeply. "Sorry," she finally gasped. "Yamcha is _not _my favorite subject, but I can see you're full of questions. Just go ahead and get them out of the way so I never have to discuss this later."

Raditz smirked, and kept quiet for a couple minutes while she went back to her work. "So, he's your mate, and you've been arguing?" He knew better, but this line of questioning was the better route to take.

"Kami, no!" She shouted, not looking up from her work. "He was my boyfriend for a while, yes, but we weren't… mates. Not even in a sexual sense of the word. And the bastard cheated on me all the time. The only thing I'm happy about, as far as Yamcha is concerned, is that I wasn't retarded enough to sleep with the bastard."

"So humans do mate for life? Or… wait, no. You said he cheated a lot. I take that to mean he was mating with another woman? Was it with one woman or many?" He asked in confusion. "And **how** is that even possible?"

"Humans don't always mate for life, Raditz." She sighed. "In some ways, I suppose we're more savage than the Saiyans. Some men don't give a shit who they sleep with, even if they're married. Some do, though, like my parents. Or Chi-Chi. She'd never stray from Goku, not for a moment." She smiled wistfully while she began to piece the parts from her phone to the transmitter, making sure that everything would fit right when she was done.

"Well, of course she wouldn't. My brother's Saiyan; he knows how to treat his woman. Are the women as free with their bodies here as some of the men are?"

Bulma blushed for a moment before reverting to her old failsafe, anger. "If you're implying what I think you are, Raditz…"

"Not you, woman," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I'd bet my armor that you're still untouched." He couldn't hide his pleasure when her flush of embarrassment only confirmed his suspicions.

"Oh, sorry," she finally said, after a full minute of silence. "I thought you meant…" Bulma shook her head and gave him a shaky smile. "Yamcha… he accused me of not being…"

"Untouched?" He finished lightly, pleased with the sudden lack of her usual boldness. He admired that quality in her, but it was a little refreshing to see her suddenly timid about a subject.

"Yeah, what you said."

"Well, are you?" He grinned when she gave a tiny nod, purposely avoiding his gaze by focusing on her project. Raditz decided it was time to test the waters a bit, and eased just a little closer to her, not quite closing the distance enough to touch.

"Um, Raditz…? You're in my light," she said softly.

He simply reached over her head and clicked on a light he'd seen her use before, and grinned. "There, is that better?"

"Smart-ass," she mumbled with a touch of that temper he admired. "Soldering iron, please?" She asked distractedly, while she used one hand to hold everything in place, and reached out with the other. Bulma shivered a little when his hand brushed against hers as he handed her the tool. No doubt about it, he'd done that on purpose.

Bulma turned it on, waiting a full minute for it to heat up, and then carefully began to modify his scouter. She blew on it gently to cool it when she finished, and held out the soldering iron for him to take. "Would you mind handing me the smallest Phillips head screwdriver in that little drawer?" She pointed without even looking, knowing where every tool in her workshop was located without even thinking about it.

Raditz obediently opened the drawer, and just stared at all of the little tools. "Phillips head?" He asked, unsure of which one to choose.

"The one with a star-shaped point," she replied absently, fishing around with her free hand in another drawer for the smallest screw she could find.

"I don't see it," he admitted with a hint of embarrassment.

Bulma gave him an understanding smile, and shook her head. "It's alright, Raditz. You're a warrior, not an engineer. Come here and hold this in place for me, and I'll get it." She took his hand in hers, guiding it to the transmitter. "Kami, your hands are fucking huge," she remarked, trying her best to ignore how wonderfully warm it felt in her own. "Just use your pinky to hold it. Gently," she added. "As strong as you are, just a touch should do it. Don't let it move."

"Get your tool, woman," he said with amusement.

"Bulma," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Bulma," he corrected himself, locking eyes with her as he said her name softly.

She'd been confident only a moment ago, since she'd been immersed in her work, but now at the look of blatant desire he was giving her, she felt very skittish. And more than a little interested. Would he want everything she had to give right away? Or would he wait for her for a little while, let her adjust to a possible relationship with him before he demanded her surrender?

"The tool, Bulma?" Raditz laughed at her with his eyes; they'd only been gazing at each other for a full minute.

"Oh, right!" She didn't have to look to grab the right screwdriver, and she quickly went back to work, trying her very hardest to ignore the warmth of his body. She had to press against him slightly as she leaned over the workbench, and that simple contact alone made her shiver.

"Cold?" He asked knowingly, his voice becoming a throaty purr. Damn, this was fun.

"I'm fine," she squeaked. "There, done. Now to just put the rest of it back together. You can move now, Raditz," she added softly.

"And if I don't want to?" He smirked when she looked up at him, her eyes as wide as saucers. "Bulma, have I given you any reason to fear me?" His fingers rose up to brush against her jawline when she shook her head slightly. "Then stop looking at me like that. I'm not going to hurt you."

She swallowed slowly before nodding, not sure what to say, and quickly went back to work, relieved to absorb herself in something that didn't require her to think with anything but her brain. Bulma worked slowly to keep from talking, trying to regain her sense of balance, and just as she'd found it, she felt his calloused hand rest against the small of her back, his thumb stroking her spine.

Pleased that she hadn't asked him to remove his hand, he began to move his hand slowly up and down the length of her spine, relishing in the sound of her gasping when he ran it along the bare skin of her neck.

"Raditz…?" She said weakly, fighting the urge to lean into his touch.

"Hm?" Unable to help himself, his lips began to caress the back of her neck while his hand moved to her collarbone.

"What are you doing?" She gasped.

"Do you want me to stop?" He grazed his nails along her shoulder slowly, raising goosebumps along her flesh.

"Want you to stop, no," she admitted reluctantly. "But I'm asking you to. Please," she added. Bulma felt a wave of guilt when she looked up to see the flash of hurt in his eyes. "It's not you, Raditz. I… I tend to think with my brain, and right now I'm wondering just how much you're going to lord over me, starting tomorrow."

"Woman, are we negotiating?" He asked with a chuckle, tipping her chin up with a finger. "Because that happens to be something I'm fairly good at."

"Uh… _no_?" That fire he loved seeing was back in her eyes as she glared at him. "Raditz, you need to understand something about me. I am what I am, and I'm not going to change. I'm always going to be playing around with shit down in this workshop, I'll likely still forget to make dinner, and I'll most definitely get super-focused on a project several times a month, and forget everything but what I'm working on for days. I'm loud, I have my opinions, and I'm not afraid to voice them. I swear, I fight, and I tend to throw things when I'm angry. And if I don't get my way during an argument, I tend to yell and bitch until I do."

"Oh, is _that_ all?" He laughed lightly.

"And I'm not changing a damned bit of it," she reiterated. Bulma pulled away from him, pushing his finished scouter towards him, and scooped up the bottle of wine before heading towards the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going, woman?" Raditz asked, captivated by the way her hips moved as she walked.

"To bed," she answered simply. "I'm going to finish this bottle of wine and go the fuck to sleep." She tipped it back and took a good long drink before slowly making her way up the stairs. "Night, Raditz," she sighed.

Well, Vegeta had warned him that this wasn't going to be easy. He waited until she was up the stairs and likely in her bedroom before turning off the soldering iron and the lamp and heading the same way. He put his scouter away in his room, waited another ten minutes for her to grow comfortable in her solitude, and stripped his shirt, socks, and boots, looking like he was ready for bed. Her bed, with a little luck. If not, he had no problem with chasing her a bit. The chase was half the fun, and this evening had been immensely entertaining.

Bulma jumped a foot in the air when a knock sounded at her door. She cracked the door open just a hair, and sighed when she found exactly the person she'd expected to find. "I'm sorry if I sounded like a bitch, Raditz, but I stand by my words."

His lips twitched a little as he nodded. "I wouldn't expect any less from you. I just wanted to tell you that."

"Oh," she replied awkwardly, not exactly sure how to respond to that.

"Bulma?" Raditz leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms over his massive chest, radiating sex and masculinity.

"Yes?"

"May I kiss you goodnight?" Raditz was careful not to sound demanding, to let her make the decision. This woman was willful, and it would be better to let her choose to take this first step. His eyes traced her tongue as it flicked out slowly to wet her lips.

"Just a kiss?" Her voice held hesitation, but beneath it, Raditz heard the voice of a woman that wanted him. He nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact with her for a moment. All of her suddenly came into view as she eased the door open.

Bulma gasped in surprise when he tugged her into his arms, lifted her against his massive frame, and pressed her against the wall. "Raditz…?"

"Just a kiss," he assured her, his voice low and husky. "I want you, Bulma. All of you. But I'll wait if that's what you really want." He bent his mouth to hers as her legs slowly wrapped around his waist, and proceeded to kiss her, long and slow.

Bulma's head was spinning when his tongue slipped into her mouth and began to stroke hers lazily, as if he had all the time in the world to simply kiss her, and her toes curled a little when he moaned into her mouth. She returned it with a whimper of longing, pressing against him tightly as his hips moved against her dominantly, giving her a preview of what she could have if she decided to invite him in. The genius eased back and laid her head against his chest for a moment to get her bearings before she dared to look up at him. "You could give lessons on kissing and make millions," she sighed.

There was that easy, genuine smile once again, blooming across his face and making him look like a god. "Would you like more? I do other things just as well as I kiss. Some even better."

Better? Oh, God. She was in trouble! "Eventually, yes. Don't Saiyans get to know each other before they go to bed?"

"Like courting?" Raditz asked. The smile didn't leave his face for a moment as she nodded, and he was very pleased that both of their peoples seemed to finally have some similarities. "Courting is normally done by Saiyans when they're young, before they're old enough to mate. Saiyan adults don't do that."

"Oh. Why not?" Bulma bit down on a moan as he shifted her weight against him, not because she was heavy, but so he could simply hold her up with one arm while his newly freed hand could travel to the hem of her shirt and stroke the bare skin of her lower back.

"We just don't. When we feel the urge to mate, it's strong for both parties, usually. That tends to overwhelm any other ideas. The pleasantries usually come later. I felt the pull for you this morning, when I first saw you. It feels like a tug in your stomach."

"Oh." She was using that word an awful lot around him, it seemed, and her fingers had begun to draw little circles on his abs all on their own. "Humans, we typically date, get to know each other, before all of that. Well, girls with looser morals don't, but I'm just not one of them." She grinned a little at that. "Sorry."

"No, I like that," he said softly. "How long did you date that assclown without giving yourself to him?"

Bulma began shaking with subdued laughter, and shook her head vigorously, knowing he was not going to be happy with her answer. "Eight years. Yes, Raditz, eight years," she confirmed, when his jaw dropped slightly in disbelief.

"And this is normal for humans?"

Bulma shook her head in reply. "No, it really isn't. Kami, what would you have said if it **was** the norm?" She laughed.

"I think I would have been sleeping by myself for a very long time," he admitted. "Or seducing you back into your room to claim you right away. And I have to say, I'm having a difficult time not doing that right now." He purred with pleasure and nipped at her bottom lip in Saiyan fashion when she brushed her mouth against his, then wrapped his tail around her waist and squeezed her possessively. "So, what do you want to know, woman? I'll give you an hour to get to know me." He smirked when she gaped at him. "It was a joke, woman."

Bulma wasn't sure whether to laugh or sag against him in relief. For a moment there, she'd thought him dead serious. "Kami, I think you just gave me heart failure. I guess I'll have to get used to that Saiyan brand of humor."

"How much time do you require, Bulma?" He chuckled again when she just stuttered something about deadlines. "I won't hold you to it, woman. I'd just like to know how much torture I'm about to put myself through."

"I… I really don't know, Raditz, I'm sorry. I just want to get to know you before I make love to you," she whispered.

"Gods, woman, you're so fucking sexy." No woman had ever talked to him like that before, and he found himself wanting to bend to her will, and give her anything and everything she asked for. He kissed her gently then, taking his time, purring happily when her mouth began to take control, exploring his lips before moving on to his jawline and his throat. "Woman, I can't even describe how much I'm enjoying that, but you need to stop before I lose what little control I have."

She hastily mumbled an apology and flushed with embarrassment.

"Don't be sorry for wanting me, Bulma. Don't ever be sorry for that," he growled against her throat, giving her the same treatment that she'd just bestowed on him. He felt her melting against him as his teeth rasped against her throat, and knew that he could easily seduce her and have his way if he got it in his mind to do so. She seemed to sense this as well, but she still found herself unable to struggle against such a tender assault on her senses. "You need to go to bed, woman," he advised.

Bulma nodded weakly, ready to agree to anything that came out of his mouth, even a declaration that the sky was orange. "Goodnight," she murmured against his mouth, before kissing him once, and sliding down his chest to the floor. She smiled back at him, feeling like a giddy teenager, before slipping into her room and easing the door closed.

**WOOOOOOO! BULMA AND RADITZ! Sorry, I just had an awful lot of fun writing those two. Long chapter this time, I know, and sorry it took so long, but the Muse was distracting me with Attraction, which I have the first chapter of up. It's rated M, like most of my fics, so prepare for smutty goodness, at least in the upcoming chapter. **

**Next chapter: Turles and Rei, more Bulma and Raditz (I luff writing them so much), and of course, Usagi continues to make Vegeta batshit crazy. **


	19. Chapter 19

**YAY! AN UPDATE! FINALLY! You know… if people would just review, these would come a LOT faster, yall…**

Running a rough hand up and down her back, Bardock wished like hell that he could do something—anything—to ease his mate's suffering. This was always the worst part of every pregnancy in his experience, outside of childbirth itself, and it was always different for every child.

Mako retched once more, dumping the contents of last night's supper in the toilet before letting out a single, choking sob.

"It'll pass, beloved," Bardock assured her with a kiss to the forehead, handing her a towel to wipe her mouth. "Come on, let's get your teeth brushed, it'll help a little, and then we'll find you something light to settle your stomach."

"Thanks," she whispered, resting her head on his chest for a moment as she fought a dizzy spell. "How in the seven hells did your first mate do this _three times_?" She sighed.

"I asked myself just about the same thing when she got pregnant with Kakarot. That brat was an accident, on top of it all," he added with a snort, as he helped her to stand and led her to the sink.

"How? Didn't you use birth control?" She sighed again, but this time with pleasure, as she began to brush her tongue, getting that nasty vomit taste out of her mouth.

"Yes, but she went into heat, and when the scent hit my nose… well, let's just say I wound up keeping her in bed for several days and wouldn't let her drink the contraceptive brew. And no," he added, I'm not sure what will happen after Kale is born and you're fertile for the first time."

"How often are Saiyan women fertile?" She asked around her toothbrush.

"About once every four to six months; it varies. What about Altheans?"

Mako swallowed and looked at him with wide eyes. "Every two months. Gods, we're going to be in a lot of trouble, huh? Fertility for us lasts about four or five days."

"I'll just go off to train so I don't catch your scent," he said with a shrug. "Trust me, woman, I did this sort of thing for years… and if you look at it positively, thirty years of mating only yielded three brats, and all of those were in my younger years, before I figured out that running away was the best policy."

"Well, when you put it like that, it speaks volumes for your self-control," she snorted. "Unless, of course, you take into account the fact that I'll be fertile three times as often as a Saiyan woman. Which would wind up yielding nine Saiyan brats over the next thirty years." She spat in the sink and grinned sunnily when he seemed fairly annoyed with her. "What? If you take your amount of self-control into account, along with just the simple math, those are the odds of how many times you're going to knock me up."

Bardock just huffed, shook his head, and led her out into the living quarters. "I don't know whether to yell at you or laugh at your reasoning."

They headed to the bridge, and Mako huffed in impatience at the clock on the dash, counting down their remaining days until they landed. "Gods, it's like watching paint dry."

"Stop looking at it then," Bardock chuckled, using his ki to heat up a bowl of soup in the fridge. "It's only two more weeks." He sat the steaming bowl in front of her and couldn't help but nibble at her throat. "And if you think about it positively, it's two whole weeks for me to properly honor the woman carrying my brat."

"When she's not puking her guts out," she grumbled, taking a very small bite of soup. She swallowed when the taste of it didn't gag her, and waited for a full minute. Once she was sure her stomach wouldn't reject the offering, she dug in, eating slowly just in case.

#################

Rei huffed with impatience when she tried to roll out of the bed and found herself pinned—as usual—by a burly arm, against a hard and muscular chest. "Are you ever going to let me out of bed to go piss when I try to move?"

"Never," Turles grumbled good-naturedly, grinding his morning wood against her backside as he moved his tail from her waist to her thigh.

"I really have to pee, Turles," she said, but her firm tone turned into a chuckle when his tail tickled her. "And if you keep doing that, I'm gonna pee on you, beloved."

"Fine," he sighed, a smile playing on his lips. "Go piss, woman, then get that ass back over here."

"Turles, it's been two months! We have to start training regularly again, I'm going soft, damn it!"

"Oh, bullshit!" He yelled back, so she could hear him through the door, "You're just not happy unless you're setting someone's ass on fire every day!"

Rei flopped back on the bed and grinned when he rolled on top of her, lifting her hips to his with his tail. "Ok, you've got me there, Turles. You could make me happy, you know. I could light you on fire."

Turles chuckled at that and bit down on her mark, drawing blood and making her moan. "Yeah, you could, just metaphorically." He grinned when he felt her tail wrap around his length and use it to pull him down to her.

They both jumped and groaned at the sudden knock on the door, though, and immediately rolled off the bed. "Broly," Rei sighed, "and I guarantee you that he wants to know why we haven't been at training lately." She flared her ki in a signal that she was on her way, and threw on her fatigues and a tank top before stomping into the living room and yanking open the door. "What?"

Broly grinned at the scent of arousal, and the sight of Rei's bleeding mark. "Sorry to interrupt, but you two have been summoned to the palace. I'd tell you to go finish what you started, but his Majesty was pretty insistent about you getting there as soon as possible."

Rei waved him in and retreated to the bedroom, where she informed Turles and they both helped each other quickly strap on their armor. It was less than ten minutes before they were standing in front of the king, who could obviously tell that his summons had interrupted an early morning coupling.

"As you know, Turles, your father has achieved Legendary status, and is already on his way to find your brother. It dawned on me yesterday that you might want to congratulate him in person."

Turles shook his head a little. "That's an awfully long trip for a congratulations."

"I'm also sending you as an extra bodyguard for my daughter. Gods only know what kind of powers she might encounter on Earth. I've considered Broly and Nappa, but Broly is commanding the Elite, and Nappa's mate would wind up giving birth in space. Since she's pregnant, I can't send her in the type of pods that would get you there in only a few weeks." He smiled at the open-mouthed looks on their faces. "It's new technology that Ami developed, using wormholes. You'll sleep the whole trip, and wake up on Earth."

Turles finally nodded a little. "Rei?"

"Heh, maybe I'll finally get to set someone's ass on fire. I'm game if you are."

"Ok, then. When do we depart?" Turles asked.

"Tomorrow if you'd like. I've already spoken with Paragus and Reiko, and they assure me that your grandfather will be fine in your absence, Rei."

The firestarter visibly brightened at that and smiled her thanks. "Guess we'd better go and pack my subspace, then."

#######################

"Where in the hell is Raditz?" Usagi fumed, searching for his ki. "He was supposed to be training with us this morning, but I haven't seen him, and neither has Kakarot."

Vegeta gave her a pleased smirk and inclined his head towards Capsule Corp. "I gave Raditz a few days off from training."

"What!? Why!? **I'm** his commanding officer, Vegeta, **not** you! Crown prince or not, I command the Elite!"

Her anger only seemed to amuse him even more, and his smirk became a grin. He really was going to have to take Raditz's advice, and soon; she'd only grown more riled over the last twenty-four hours since he'd played with her tail. Her Saiyan instincts were beginning to drive her, and if he waited much longer, she was going to try and beat him to a pulp for leaving her wanting. "Raditz came to me very late last night with a request of a personal nature, woman, and since I find myself in the same predicament, I was inclined to grant him some leave."

"Huh? What kind of request?" Usagi blanched, wondering fleetingly if he needed some space from her while Vegeta was trying his damnedest to claim her, but Vegeta's amusement didn't exactly fit that explanation. "Radu's alright, isn't he?"

"Oh, he's fine. He's just going to be a bit… frustrated… while he's chasing a certain housemate of ours."

Usagi laughed and shook her head a little, feeling a brief stab of sympathy for Bulma. Raditz could be very persistent when he tried to get something he wanted, and the princess of Vegeta-sai was sure that he'd be ten times worse after he'd felt the pull. "This should be very interesting," she chuckled, leaning back against him companionably when he came up behind her and wrapped his tail around her waist, rubbing it against hers. "Geta, _stop _that," she ordered flatly. "Please don't mess with my tail anymore, I don't think I can take it."

Vegeta pushed her hair to the side and began kissing her neck, focusing on one particular spot that made her shiver whenever he touched it. "Don't worry, woman, I'm going to make it better. I'm sorry I got you so frustrated; had I known what it would do to you, I wouldn't have done it."

"Make it better? No, Geta, I'm not ready to mate. Not just yet." She pulled away from him, only to be spun in place and taken to the ground, flat on her back. "Geta, let me go!" She shouted, flaring her ki and struggling against him.

"Hold still, woman. You trust me, right? You said you did."

"Of course I trust you, Vegeta, but I don't want to-"

"I'm not going to mate with you, woman. Not yet." He chuckled when her look of fear turned to one of interest. "I'm going to give you some release," he purred against her mouth, while his hand lightly trailed down her shirt to her tail and stroked it.

Usagi's hips immediately rose from the grass and ground against his. "Gods… Geta, please don't do this to me again," she begged.

"Shh, woman, I want you to just lay there and enjoy this, understand me?" Vegeta raised his ki enough to be sure that she couldn't break his skin with her teeth before moving his mouth to her throat and continuing his gentle assault on her tail.

She immediately began moving against him insistently, and within moments she was tugging at his armor and the spandex beneath it. "Please," she begged, "I'm burning, Geta. Please."

Vegeta used his ki to keep him on top of her without crushing her, so he could use his free hand to unfasten her fatigues and slip his hand beneath the cloth.

Usagi moaned in surrender when his fingers stroked her, slipping between the folds to caress her and ease the burning. "Yes… Geta, please don't stop…"

"Is that what you need, Usa?" He released her tail as his other hand continued to give her the attention she ached for. He groaned when her teeth rasped against his shoulder and bit down, but thankfully she couldn't break the skin. "I want you to come for me, Usa."

She couldn't even respond to that statement, other than to move her hips against the delirious sensations his hand was invoking, and let loose a breathy moan as he bent his head to pull up her shirt with his teeth and take a nipple in his mouth.

Vegeta growled with desire when she suddenly stiffened in his arms, her fingers clutching at his back, and her mouth clamping down on his shoulder. Thank Kami he'd kept his ki significantly higher than hers, or she would have definitely broken the skin. He looked down at her as he slid his hand from her pants and fastened them. "Feel better?" He whispered against her throat.

Usagi simply gazed up at him with a look of pure bliss on her face, her eyes dark and heavy. No words could possibly express how much better she felt, so she settled for pulling him down and kissing the daylights out of him.

Vegeta definitely wasn't complaining.

#####################

"What are you working on now, woman?"

Bulma tipped her head to the bench, indicating that he could look, but didn't stop what she was doing for fear she'd mess it up. Finally, she cut off the soldering iron and lifted her goggles up onto the top of her head. "Sorry, I got absorbed in what I was doing."

"It's perfectly alright." Raditz folded his arms over his chest and simply watched her nimble fingers putting pieces together, finally fitting them into the case of what she'd called her "cell phone." "I hope I didn't cause you to break it."

"Nah, it'll be fine. Old Betsy here has been dismantled for spur-of-the-moment parts more times than I can count," she answered with a grin. Finally finished, she hit the power button and waited for it to boot up. She blushed when she finally turned to really look at him, remembering their kiss from the night before. "Good morning."

Raditz smirked at the sight of her red face, and dipped his head to brush his lips chastely against hers. "_Now_ it's good." He broke into a grin and chuckled when her face only got impossibly redder. "Are you going to turn that color every time I kiss you, Bulma?"

She merely gave a tiny nod. "Probably." She flinched and glared at her phone when it suddenly rang, indicating that she had messages. "Ugh, I knew that this was going to happen," she groaned. She snagged her phone and dialed her voicemail.

Raditz scowled when her eyebrows knit together in anger. He couldn't hear what was being said on her phone, but whatever it was, it was really pissing her off. "What's wrong?"

"Fucking Yamcha," she sputtered, and held up a hand to silence him when he opened his mouth to say something. Bulma listened to the rest of the messages, each of them more suggestive and liquor-fueled than the last, then furiously ordered her phone to delete them all.

"Do I even want to know what he said?"

"No," she snarled, "you don't." Bulma jumped when her phone suddenly rang. "Speak of the devil… no pun intended. Take the call," she told her phone. "What, Yamcha?" She snapped, putting it on speakerphone for Raditz's benefit.

"Hey, babe! Did you get any of my messages? Where were you last night?"

"I was busy," she said flatly, "and I would appreciate you not talking shit like that on my voicemail, thank you very much."

"Busy? Doing what?"

Bulma hesitated and blushed, avoiding Raditz's gaze.

"Bulma, were you on a date with some other guy?" Yamcha asked suspiciously.

"And what if I was!?" She snapped. "Not like it's any of your fucking business anyway, I recall breaking up with your sorry cheating ass three weeks ago!"

"Bulma, it won't happen again, I'm sorry." His voice was soft now, gentle, just as it had been a million times before when she'd caught him screwing around on her.

"You're right, Yamcha, it _won't_," she said firmly. "We're done. Don't call me anymore."

"Oh, bullshit, Bulma, come on! Where else are you going to find a boyfriend that puts up with all that lab time and your problems with intimacy?"

Raditz's jaw clenched, and he knew the blue-haired genius could hear that rumble in his chest that was completely out of his control.

Bulma took a deep breath, and gave the Saiyan the most reassuring smile she could. "Actually, Yamcha, if you really must know, I _do_ have a boyfriend," she finally answered, unable to ignore the triumphant smirk on the man standing beside her.

"Who!?" He asked incredulously. "No way in hell he'll ever be as good as me, and you know it!"

Bulma laughed at that, so hard in fact, that she sat down on the floor abruptly. "Yamcha, he's more of a man than you'll ever be, and if you ever bother me again, I just might let him kick your ass. Goodbye. Disconnect," she ordered her phone. "Fucking prick." She giggled a little despite herself, and then let out a groan. "He's going to come over now, I just know it," she muttered.

"Then I can kick his ass?" Raditz asked hopefully, offering her a hand up. He tugged her to her feet, and frowned when she shook her head.

"No, you'd kill him with one punch, probably." Bulma stormed past him to the stairs, taking them two at a time, and dug in the freezer once she'd made it to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm mad right now, and this makes me feel better," she said simply, before sitting down at the breakfast bar with a half-gallon of ice cream and a large spoon. "It's ice cream," she supplied, after a couple huge bites. "It solves all problems, and rights all wrongs. You want some?"

Raditz shrugged. "I'm not angry. In fact, I'm very pleased." He grinned when she just stared at him. "A boyfriend is a mate on this planet? Or something like it?"

Oh, so _that's_ why he seemed so chipper. "No," Bulma snorted, trying not to laugh. If she did, it would only sound bitter. She sighed when his hand covered hers, and she gripped it tightly in an unspoken attempt to tell him she wasn't mad at him. "Let's not put labels on anything, alright? Boyfriends suck, in my opinion. All they've ever done is cheat on me."

"Saiyans can't do that, Bulma."

She finally looked up at him, and gave him a shaky smile. "I know, Raditz. And I'm not upset with you. I just hate it when that bastard leaves messages like that."

"I'm probably going to regret asking, but what did he say?" Raditz asked.

Bulma took another bite of ice cream before answering. "The usual nasty stuff. Can I come over and suck his cock, give him some pussy, the usual. A _lot_ more detailed than that, but that's pretty much it. Fucking asshole."

Raditz snatched the spoon from her and took a bite. "While this is arguably the best thing I've ever eaten, I'm still mad. I thought it was supposed to get rid of anger." He scooped up some more and stuck it in her mouth when she tried to take the spoon back. "Men on this planet talk like that to their women?"

She shrugged a little. "I've never heard Goku talk like that to Chi-Chi. But I suppose some women like it. I really don't though. What about Saiyans?"

"Saiyans talk dirty to their mates, but that's usually reserved for the bedroom. I would have said something like, 'I want you to taste me,' but nothing as crass as what he said." He chuckled when she turned red for the fiftieth time since he'd seen her that morning. "You didn't blush while you listened to his message, but my words make you do so?"

"I am not going to dignify that with an answer," she answered primly. "Now give me my spoon back, so I can drown my fury in Haagen Daas before that douchebag shows up."

Raditz scooped up another bite and held it to her lips, and was pleased when she took the offered bite without hesitation. "This is part of courting, you know."

Bulma just stared at him and finally huffed. "You're awfully sneaky."

Raditz laughed, and offered her another bite. When she wouldn't take it, he leaned forward and kissed her. "That is, too, but I'm sure you knew that."

She suddenly felt a lot better, after he'd kissed her, and found herself relaxing a little. "What else is involved in Saiyan courting? Any rules or boundaries I should be aware of?"

"Are we courting, then?" He asked, half joking and half curious. Raditz considered them to be a courting pair-bond, but it would be better if she thought she really had a say in it.

"That depends on what the rules are. I don't want to find out later that there's some weird rule that gives you permission to take it further than I'm willing to go."

"Oh, that makes sense. I think courting is much like what you called dating. We spend time together, enjoy one another's company. Kissing is allowed…" He furrowed his eyebrows, trying to remember the rules. "I've never courted before, so I'm unsure if there are any types of rules that you're referring to. I'll ask Prince Vegeta, I'm sure he's versed in them."

"So, nothing beyond kissing, then?" She asked curiously.

Raditz's lips twitched up in a come-hither smile. "You want to do more?" He wasn't surprised to see her blush.

"I didn't say that, I was simply wondering." She gladly took another bite of the ice cream when he offered it.

"Touching above the waist is allowed," he chuckled, "though I'm sure courting teenagers have taken it further than that behind their parents' backs. You did this with the assclown?"

Bulma viciously shook her head. "God, no. Just kissing… and he wasn't very good at it," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry if it's a rude question, but how far have you been with a man?"

As expected, she turned beet red and quickly looked away, feeling like an inexperienced kid next to such a ridiculously sensual male.

"Just kissing?" He asked knowingly. He grinned when she nodded shyly, still refusing to meet his eyes, and found himself looking forward to teaching her how things could be between a man and a woman. He'd just have to remember to go very, very slow with her; she was likely to balk if he took things too fast. At least he was the type of man who found the chase to be half the fun.

"Did you… um, have breakfast yet?" She asked, suddenly needing to get as far from him as possible before she did or said something else that revealed how inexperienced she was. "And ice cream isn't breakfast," she added, when he looked pointedly at the carton. "Never mind, I'll fix you something," she offered, picking up the ice cream and putting it away in the freezer.

Raditz smirked at the sight of how flustered he'd gotten her, while she went to work at the stove, cracking eggs and putting bacon on to fry.

Bulma yipped and jumped a little when she felt him suddenly press against her from behind, his large hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "God, I wish I could learn to move as quietly as you guys do." All coherent thought flew from her mind just then, as those wonderful hands began to massage her shoulders.

"You carry an awful lot of tension in your shoulders, woman." Raditz grinned a little when she merely nodded slightly and leaned back against him, her head bowed and her eyes closed. "I believe I've just found your off switch," he teased. He worked his thumbs over her shoulder blades, making her purr with pleasure. "That bacon's going to burn, you know."

"Mmmhmm."

He moved his hands a little lower, and when he got to her lower back, Bulma let out a soft moan. "Hm, I think it would be best for you to lie down for this, woman. Go sit down, and I'll finish the food."

Bulma slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times when his hands left her. "Huh? I didn't hear you."

Raditz laughed, nipped at her neck, then gently pushed her back towards the bar. "Go sit down, and I'll hit your off switch some more after we've eaten."

Still a little dazed, she simply did as she was told. "I guess that's an accurate description," she finally replied, after several minutes. "What did you do?"

He merely shrugged. "Nothing, I just massaged your shoulders. You've never had a man do that for you either?" He asked in sheer surprise.

"I told you, I've only ever kissed."

"Yes, but that… that doesn't count. At all. It's just a backrub," he chuckled. "Wow. That human really _is_ an assclown." Raditz loaded up a plate with all of the food, and sat it between the two bar stools. "Let me guess, no man's ever cooked for you, either."

Bulma smiled brightly and shook her head. "Actually, Vegeta cooked for me when I was really sick. I was so weak I could barely move, and he wanted the gravity room fixed, so he kind of nursed me back to health." She laughed a little at the glint of jealousy in Raditz's eyes. "Did you not hear me mention the gravity room, Raditz? That man lives in nothing but sheer boredom whenever it's down, and Goku was on vacation with Chi-Chi when he broke it. So he had no one to spar with." She shook her head and smiled at the memory of Vegeta spoon-feeding her chicken soup. "Usagi's getting a good man, though. Vegeta definitely didn't have to hold my hair for me when I was throwing up, or warm me with his ki when I had the chills." She smiled and shook her head a little. "He's a lot nicer than he lets on, but he'd smack the hell out of me if he ever found out I'd told you about that."

"You see him as only a friend."

Bulma heard that statement as more of a question, and gave him a reassuring smile. "Yes, Raditz," she chuckled. "Vegeta's like the older brother that I never had. He picks on me, I pick on him… well, only a little though, I don't want to get the hell beaten out of me. He's nursed me when I'm sick, and I've put him back together twice after he's blown up the gravity room. He really scared me the one time, so badly that I slept at his bedside so I could be close in case he took a turn for the worst."

"You're a good woman, Bulma." Raditz smiled in genuine surprise when she leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek. "You'd do the same for me?"

"In a heartbeat. But you need to know that I also cussed Vegeta up one side and down the other once I was sure he'd survive," she added. She grabbed a fork and scooped up some eggs, but stopped before eating them. "Why _one_ plate?"

"I'm courting you." He watched her eat the bite of food with obvious pleasure; she'd simply nodded, as if she was merely confirming her suspicions, and she hadn't denied that he was courting her. At that realization, Raditz tucked into his own meal, occasionally feeding her a bite. He smiled at her warmly when she offered some of her food, and graciously accepted it. "I like this."

"Just spending time, without the raging Saiyan hormones?" She grinned a little when he nodded. She had to admit, it was awfully nice to spend time with a considerate, attentive man, and if she didn't watch herself she knew she was going to wind up falling for him. Hard.

Raditz put the dishes in the sink before gesturing to the living room. "Come on, woman."

Bulma followed him, but when he threw a pillow and a blanket down on the carpeted floor, she shook her head. "What exactly are you thinking, Raditz?"

"Hitting your off switch, woman. Take off your shirt and lie down on your stomach."

"I am totally _not _taking off my shirt," she snorted. She did lay down, though, when he nodded in understanding. She stiffened when he straddled her, sitting on her backside, and shoved her tank top up to her shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry, Bulma, I'm just giving you a massage. That's it, I swear it." He unhooked her bra with one hand, and when she turned her head to protest, he simply began to rub her shoulders. As expected, her eyes fluttered shut and she gave a soft groan of pleasure, all thoughts of telling him to leave her bra alone completely forgotten.

Bulma found herself dozing, but forced herself to stay awake, not wanting to miss one bit of those wonderful, calloused hands gliding over her skin as they eased her of all and any tension. She mumbled something incoherent when he moved to her legs, and was pleasantly surprised when his hands didn't wander too far north as he began to expertly massage her thighs. She almost sighed in disappointment when she felt him hook her bra and tug her shirt back into place. "That was likely the best thing I've ever experienced," she mumbled happily.

"I'll have to remember that," Raditz said huskily, rolling her over so he could kiss her. He growled with approval when she immediately responded to him, her fingers moving through his hair as he kissed her lazily. When he pulled away, he saw a vision lying beneath him. Her eyes were half-lidded and shone with pure contentment, her face framed by her unruly blue hair, and her lips were slightly swollen from his latest assault on them. "I'd like to do a little more than kissing," he rasped.

Bulma licked her lips, they suddenly felt so dry under that heated, black stare. "Ok," she whispered, her hands drifting down his neck as he bent back down to kiss her again. This time the kiss wasn't restrained; it was hot, and desperately needy, and Bulma quickly found herself drowning in it as his hands began to wander under her shirt.

Raditz broke away to rake his mouth over her throat, nipping at the sensitive skin when he coaxed a moan from her. His lips wandered lower as he pulled her shirt up and tugged her bra down to expose her.

She let out a sharp cry of pleasure when his mouth fastened to her breast, and clung to him tightly as she whimpered his name. Her hips bucked against his when his mouth moved to its twin, biting down lightly before giving it the same treatment.

Raditz finally looked up at her, his eyes glazed with desire. "We should probably stop…?" Gods, he wanted her to say no; he wanted to scoop her up and take her to her room, and finish what he'd just started.

She blinked a few times in astonishment before nodding, and jerked him up to her to capture his mouth with her own. Bulma suddenly took control, rolling on top of him, her mouth wandering down his jaw, and she relished the strangled groan that came out of his mouth. His hands were suddenly buried in her hair as she continued her assault, moving on to his throat, his collarbone, and pulling his shirt to the side to bare his shoulder.

"Bulma, you need to stop," he warned, after her teeth raked over the spot where she would hopefully mark him one day. When she continued, he rocked his hips against her, pressing his arousal against her thigh.

She sat up slowly and slid off of him without an ounce of grace, her butt thumping on the floor. "Sorry."

"Gods, woman. I want you so bad right now that it's scary."

"Sorry," she said again, groaning the word in embarrassment. Her face was bright red when she finally looked up at him. "I didn't mean to… wait, why did that turn you on so _much_, Raditz?"

"I was fine until you started messing with my shoulder. That's where a Saiyan marks their mate, woman. If you had bitten down…" Raditz shook his head and slowly sat up. "You didn't know, Bulma, it's alright," he said gently.

She nodded a little, the color in her face still high. "If I'd bitten down?"

Raditz smirked as he traced her face with his fingertips. "We'd be upstairs right now, and I'd be claiming you," he sighed. "Which is something I'd really like to do right now." He continued before she could reply. "But I know you're not ready, and I'm willing to wait."

Bulma nodded in relief. "Thank you, Raditz. I… I swear that I'll try to be worth it," she said shyly.

"Oh, you will be," he replied flatly, giving her a chaste kiss. And while he knew for a fact that she wouldn't be leaving the bedroom for a week, and would be walking bowlegged for three times that length, she didn't need to be bothered with those facts right then. She'd find out soon enough how voracious of a lover a Saiyan warrior could be.

The expected knock came while they were sitting on the couch, watching TV, while Bulma explained the way things worked in their world. It was amazing how rapt his attention was on the screen, since it was merely a news channel, but he was paying very close attention to it and what she was saying, absorbing it all.

But his attention was immediately at the door when they both heard the rap, focusing on the ki of the visitor. "The assclown?" He rumbled, rising out of his seat.

Bulma nodded numbly and moved around him. "Just… just stay put, Raditz. Let me just get rid of him, ok?"

"I'll stay close, but out of sight," he compromised.

"Whatever you say," she huffed, moving to the door. She swung it open and glared at Yamcha. "I told you not to bother me anymore, Yamcha. Piss off."

He frowned at her and shook his head. "I don't know who this other guy is, Bulma, but he'll never love you like I do."

Bulma couldn't help herself, she was laughing so hard that she was leaning against the doorjamb for support, at least until she felt Yamcha shoving her back against the door itself. "Yamcha, what the fuck do you think you're—" And then he was kissing her, and she cried out in anger, swinging and kicking backwards, but he only flared his ki in response to keep from getting hurt.

Suddenly he was gone, and Bulma was flailing at the empty air. And when she opened her eyes she found Yamcha being shoved against the wall in a chokehold by three hundred pounds or more of Saiyan muscle, his eyes bugging out at the sight of just _which_ Saiyan it was. "But… you're dead," he gasped, struggling futilely.

"Wished back, assclown," Raditz growled in reply, fighting down the urge to snap his neck. "And if you _ever _touch what's mine again, I'll turn every bone in your body to dust. You can thank Bulma for this courtesy warning, since killing you would upset her for some retarded reason. I don't know why, though, you wouldn't even be worth mourning."

Bulma stepped forward when Yamcha's eyes started to bug out a little as Raditz tightened his grip. "That's enough," she whispered. She hadn't a clue where her next words came from, but she knew on a gut level that they would work, somehow. "I'm safe, Raditz. You did good, big guy. _I'm safe_."

When he looked at her, she knew where those words had come from; she'd heard Chi-Chi use them on more than one occasion with Goku. "Come on," she urged gently, watching some of that primal fury fade from his eyes as she stroked his jawline. "He's not a threat, Raditz." Bulma swallowed before nipping at his neck. "I'm yours, remember? No one can take what's yours."

At that, his grip loosened, and Yamcha slid to the floor, shaking uncontrollably. "Bulma… but… you… me…"

"Yamcha, are you a fucking idiot!?" She yelled at him, stepping between him and the Saiyan male who was growled ferally at him for pissing off his mate. "Get OUT before he kills you!" She closed the door when he scurried outside, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Raditz, honey… not that I don't appreciate it, but—" She squealed when he lifted her into his arms bridal style and carted her back into the living room.

"Sit down while I check you for bruising," he ordered firmly.

"No, really, Raditz. I'm f—" That last word turned into a little whimper when he silenced her mouth with his own, kissing her possessively.

"If you're fine, woman, then let me see," he growled, once he'd pulled away from her. Raditz was grateful when she didn't fight him any further; the beast was already on a tight leash as it was, and if she snapped it all hell was going to break loose.

She sighed when he pulled off her shirt and hissed in anger at the sight of the dark, hand-shaped marks on her arms and ribs. "Nothing that won't heal in a few days," she assured him. Bulma squeaked and covered up when Goku IT'd into the room, looking none-too-happy. "Haven't you ever heard of using a door!?" She yelled.

Bulma immediately regretted her tone when Raditz reacted accordingly and snarled a warning at his brother, baring his teeth and putting himself solidly between the two of them. "Shit," she breathed, clutching her shirt to her chest as she moved around him, only to be tugged—albeit gently—back behind him. "Raditz, it's ok. Goku's my brother, remember? I yell at him all the damned time and it doesn't mean that I'm actually _mad _at him."

"Oh. Like Turles and I bicker. Understood." Raditz backed down, but still kept himself between the two of them, unable to tamp down his possessive nature.

"I saw Yamcha leave here in a hurry, and he seemed pretty beat up," Goku finally said, unable to mask his anger. "You couldn't have just told him off, Raditz? The Saiyan way of staking a claim on a woman is not acceptable here, nor will it ever be."

"I didn't touch him until he laid hands on what's mine!" Raditz cried, gently tugging Bulma back around. "And for what he did to my mate, Kakarot, he's fucking lucky that I didn't send him home in pieces!"

At first he gaped in surprise and knelt in front of Bulma, carefully checking the damage to the ribs below her bra. "Yamcha did _this_!?"

"Yeah," she grunted. "He was jealous. But it won't happen again. The big guy yanked him off of me and beat the hell out of him."

"I'm sorry Raditz, I didn't know," Goku said apologetically, patting his brother on the shoulder. "I just… you know. Assumed the worst. I guess I'll have to stop doing that when it comes to other Saiyans. I'll go over there later, if you want."

"No, Goku," Bulma protested. "I don't want things smoothed over with Yamcha. He's not welcome here any longer. Period."

A strange little smirk came over Goku's face, making him look very much like his brother. "Who said anything about smoothing things over, woman? I'm going over there to inform him that if he ever touches you again, he'll have two Saiyans, not one, taking turns pounding on his ass." He seemed to think about that for a moment and shook his head. "Likely three, if Vegeta gets wind of this. Vegeta hates Yamcha, though. He'd likely just kill him for the fun of it. After this… I think I'd let him."

Raditz grinned a little and nodded. "Then let him know about it, by all means, brother."

**I wanted this to be longer, but this is pretty much everything I have pre-written so far, with a few extra things I've added. And sorry for so long between updates, yall know how I get squirreled with other fics! I'm currently working on an AU of The Golden Stranger where Trunks dies, but I can't seem to work all the kinks out of it… I'll probably publish it just to make AnaFrost cry, lol. **

**Anyways, R&R people! And as for shameless advertising, I have a new TGS fic up, all oneshots, and will add more to it as the Muse inspires me. I'll also be updating TGS2 shortly. There's also an update to Attraction, for those of yall that are reading it! Enjoy!**


	20. Chapter 20

**As you can see, I've changed this story to an M rating for OBVIOUS reasons; thank you to the reader who reminded me to do it, it had honestly crossed my mind last week, but I'd forgotten about it. So, the next chapter is going to be super special and awesome… so if yall R&R, I'll have it up FAST.**

Spitting blood in the dirt, Usagi grinned a little at the sight of it. "Not bad, brat." Then she flew at who she was starting to think of as her nephew, fists mercilessly striking his jaw and ribs, despite the fact that he was only ten.

"Aunt Usa! Down!" Gohan suddenly cried, just as he pressed an offense, drawing blood from her nose. He caught the frying pan when it swung back once more after narrowly missing Usagi's head, jerked it out of his mother's hands, and threw it behind him. "MOM! I'M SPARRING!"

"And she's playing too hard with you!" Chi-Chi replied, glaring ominously at the blonde, who was just looking at her with stark amusement.

"No, Chi-Chi, I hate to admit it, but I'm actually going pretty easy on him, considering his ridiculously high power level. A brat with that much power at his disposal would be worked much harder on Vegeta-sai… once everyone got over seeing a mere child wielding an amount of energy that most full-grown warriors would kill to possess."

The Saiyan woman's statement floored Chi-Chi for a moment, and she suddenly found herself studying her son in a new light. "He's that strong?"

Usagi nodded soberly, taking the woman by the arm and leading her a little ways out of earshot. "You need to let him train, Chi-Chi. Your son has the potential to be even stronger than his father; I can sense it, it's _there_. But he holds back because he's had it pounded into his head that he's meant to be a scholar, not a warrior." She silenced the other woman with a look when she opened her mouth to protest. "Why can't he be _both_, Chi-Chi? We have warrior-scholars on my planet; I'm technically one of them since I'm an inker. One of my handmaidens would have been one if she'd only been Saiyan… that woman is ridiculously, smart, too. She gives me headaches when she tries to explain anything scientific. And she can fight, too. Not like a Saiyan, of course," she added with a hint of pride for her own race, "but she could freeze a warrior solid with her powers.

"The point I'm trying to make, Chi-Chi, is that Gohan is a smart boy. But he's also a very adept fighter. There's no reason we can't balance his studies and his training." She smiled when Chi-Chi's expression clearly told her that the princess had hooked her. And reeled her in.

"You won't let him get hurt?" The brunette asked flatly, and rolled her eyes when Usagi scowled at her. "You know what I mean. Bruises and a little blood-letting are the name of the game, Usagi. I was a warrior, too, you know. I mean _**hurt.**_"

"Radu and I will keep him safe, Chi-Chi, I swear it on my tail. If anything, I _am_ a healer, woman. Any injuries he sustains will be healed by the end of each training session."

They both looked up at the sound of Gohan yelling, and Usagi laughed at the sight of Raditz with Gohan in a light chokehold. Well, light for Raditz, anyway. "I thought you were taking some leave!" She shouted, grinning when Gohan struggled fruitlessly.

Usagi and Chi-Chi strode over, the latter of the two instinctively clenching her fist as if she was holding her frying pan. "Gohan, Gohan, Gohan…" Usagi tsked, shaking her finger at him. "Always keep your senses open to your surroundings, and the different kis around you. You never know when a monster radish is going to sneak up behind you, brat."

"Shouldn't have let your guard down, brat," Raditz chuckled. "Now… just what are you going to do about it, hm?"

Both Saiyans missed the look between Chi-Chi and her son, and before either of them knew it, Raditz was on the ground, his hands held protectively in front of his crotch as he made a soft, choked noise.

"I guess using your mother as a weapon isn't exactly cheating…" Usagi mused, a grin playing over her mouth. "I did say 'anything goes' when we started this little exercise."

The human woman was shaking her hand and flexing her fingers, grimacing at her stiffening joints. She was definitely going to have bruises from that lightning-quick punch; she hadn't hit anyone like _that_ in a long time. "Gives a new meaning to balls of solid rock," she muttered. Oh well, she'd wear it as a badge of honor, since this was truly the first time she'd gotten one over on a full-blooded Saiyan male.

"Hand," Usagi ordered, obviously trying not to laugh at Raditz, who was still clutching his balls and muttering in Saiyan. "Anywhere else, and you would have broken it," she chuckled, healing the bruising that was already starting to form. "Not bad for a human with hardly any ki, though," she mused. "Care to join us?"

"Kami, no," Chi-Chi laughed, a little flattered at being asked by such a strong warrior to join in their training. "Those woman warrior days are long behind me, Usagi. But thank you; it's nice to be asked for once."

"Come on, Mom! You can teach Usagi how to wield a frying pan!" Gohan looked to his aunt and grinned. "Mom's an expert at beaning dad, I've even seen her throw that thing with awesome accuracy!"

Usagi looked over at the hunk of metal in the field, walked over, and plucked it up. She turned it in one hand, flipped it, then swung it experimentally. "The balance is actually better than I thought it'd be," she said non-commitally. "Not as good as a sword, but I guess it has its merits. Chi-Chi, why haven't you just tried a kitchen knife? It'd make a much more intimidating weapon."

"I want to make a point, Usagi, not kill my opponent. Knives and swords are one of my specialties." Chi-Chi's brows rose in surprise when Usagi unsheathed the sword from behind her back and handed it over. "But wait, Raditz said that this sword was special…"

"Chicken?" Usagi asked, trying out the Earth word for coward as she took a fighting stance, frying pan in hand. "It's only polite to hand over one's weapon if you're training with your opponent's."

"Wait, we're training?"

Raditz, having finally climbed to his feet, once he could suck a full breath into his lungs, pulled Gohan back and out of the way. "Usagi has a way of goading people into doing things they've already said no to," he rumbled.

"Just muscle and whatever else you can throw at me," Usagi promised. "If you use ki, I'll keep mine on the level with yours, Chi-Chi."

The human smirked as a feeling of exhilaration, one that only came right before a battle, ran through her for the first time in years. "Just remember, little girl. You asked for it."

Cast iron clashed with Saiyan-forged steel, and Usagi actually winced at the vibration of the blow running into her hand. Dear gods, the woman hit like a hammer for a weak little human! And she was tenacious as hell, too, coming at her like a woman on fire, raining down blow after blow with a speed that Usagi simply hadn't expected out of her.

In her scramble to get back and find her balance so she could focus on pressing her own attack, Usagi fell back, tripping on a rock, and found the tip of her own sword at her throat, pressing into the creamy flesh. "Very _good_, Chi-Chi!"

Judging by the look on Raditz's face, that sort of extremely high praise wasn't insanely common from anyone on Vegeta-sai, so Chi-Chi merely grinned and nodded. "It feels good to know that I haven't lost my edge." She helped the princess to her feet and traded weapons with her.

"We really need to show you how to properly use what ki you have, maybe even increase it if it's possible," Usagi said flatly. "With your speed and strength, just at base level, you'd be one hell of an opponent if you had even the pitiful power level of that bald guy."

Chi-Chi blinked when all three Saiyans raised their heads to the sky and squinted, as if concentrating, and she suddenly envied their ability to properly use their kis. Maybe she would take Usagi up on her offer… She grinned at that thought. Wouldn't that just surprise the hell out of Goku!? "Alright, I'm game," she said with a smile. "Let's train."

Usagi distractedly shook her head. "Not today. Something's coming…" She swallowed and tried to focus on a ridiculously strong ki headed their way, but it was masking itself. She could only feel the power. Bright, raw, power, so overwhelming that it nearly eclipsed all of the kis around her. Just like Goku's had when he'd first demonstrated his ability as a Super Saiyan. "…something strong," she finished. "Raditz, Gohan… go get Kakarot," she ordered in a fearful whisper.

She flared her ki three times, as high as it would go, fairly sure that Vegeta would sense it and come running. She hoped he would, at least. The incoming energy signature was nearly on par with Kakarot, and if it was a foe, it would likely take all three of them to put it down.

"What is it?" Chi-Chi asked quietly, as her brother-in-law and son shot into the air towards the ocean and the Kame House.

"I don't know, it's hiding its ki signature, but not the power level itself. But whoever it is… huh. There's another with it, but it's small. I couldn't sense it around all that power before, but that one feels strangely like… almost like Kakarot or Raditz." Her eyes flew open and she grinned. "Bardock," she stated firmly, patting Chi-Chi on the shoulder. "Tell Kakarot to follow my ki, and that while I don't think we're in any danger, he needs to come prepared, just in case."

Usagi flared her ki once she was in the air, gauging the most likely landing site based on the incoming ship's trajectory before heading in that direction. She could feel Vegeta, still at Capsule Corp, in his bedroom, moving around with unnatural speed. He was likely throwing on his armor after feeling her distress signal. She sent him another message, this time in Ki, telling him that everything was likely alright, but to keep his guard up just in case.

_Are you sure?_ He replied with his energy.

_Yes, I think it's Bardock, but I'm not a hundred percent._

The incoming ship beat her to the landing site, and Usagi stood at the ready when the hatch leading to the bridge fell open, revealing a very pregnant Mako. "Highness!" She yelled gleefully, stepping out onto the packed dirt of the plateau that Bardock had set them down on.

Stretching and breathing fresh air for the first time in months, the thundershaker simply couldn't keep the grin off of her face.

Usagi returned the grin, and when Bardock floated out and into the air, she tackled him in a hug. "Hey! You couldn't drop a girl a line on her scouter!?"

"We wanted it to be a surprise," Bardock replied with a chuckle, swinging the princess around before hugging her tightly once more. Until, that is, he was tackled out of the air by something huge and solid.

"NO, KAKAROT!" Usagi and Raditz yelled at once, both of them flying down to aid the older Saiyan when Kakarot ascended and began to pummel what he obviously thought was an enemy.

Then both of them fell back in surprise and awe when Bardock erupted into ki flames of gold, his features shifting to that of his son's, and proceeded to match him blow for blow, rising into the air. "Holy fuck," Usagi whispered.

"Took the words right out of my mouth…" Raditz agreed.

"Who's that?" Gohan asked, watching the fight with interest. Wow, apparently there was someone who was as strong as his dad?

"That's…" Raditz swallowed a little, his eyes bugging out at the sight of two Super Saiyans in his immediate family. Gods, he'd better take extra pains not to piss them off at the same time. "…your grandfather. Bardock. And it appears he's also achieved Legendary status in the last three months."

"Gods, fucking idiots," Usagi seethed, darting forward to break it up. Super Saiyan or not, at least she knew that Bardock could follow an order that contradicted his Saiyan instinct to kill. "Bardock, STAND DOWN!" She roared, unsheathing her sword despite the fact that she knew it wouldn't do a damned bit of good. If either of them got it in their heads to go after her, her ass was grass.

Thankfully, Bardock followed orders, backing off and darting behind her when it was obvious that she was going to put herself in the middle.

"KAKAROT! HE'S YOUR FATHER, YOU STUPID FUCKING THIRD-CLASS ASSWIPE! STAND THE FUCK DOWN!" The blonde screamed at him when he flew at her. "THAT'S AN ORDER FROM YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER!"

For some reason, that last part got through to him, and he hastily put on the brakes right before colliding with her, so close to doing so that he came to a stop with his nose less than an inch from hers. "Sorry," he gasped, between heavy breaths, a typical reaction to the Saiyan bloodlust. It seemed that being around his own people was starting to awaken his inner beast, and he simply wasn't used to having to control it all the time.

"Not as sorry as you would have been if you'd attacked me," Usagi snarled in return, sheathing her sword. She floated to the side so the two could get a good look at each other. "Kakarot, Bardock, it seems the bloodline ran true," she said with a smirk.

Goku blinked and stared at the man before him; if not for the scar on his face, he could have sworn he was looking into a mirror. Had he heard Usagi right? "My father?" He asked softly.

Bardock gave him a sharp nod and a tiny grin. "I'm impressed, brat. You actually gave me a run for my money." He watched his son visibly relax when he powered down and slapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, my mate's been waiting pretty patiently, and I know how she gets when I fight."

Sure enough, Mako looked fit to be tied, and immediately moved to his side, checking him over. "I'm _fine_, woman," Bardock chuckled, tugging her into his arms. "Mako, meet Kakarot, my youngest son. Kakarot, this is Mako, my mate. She's an Althean thundershaker and earthmover."

"_**Mom**_!?" Goku exclaimed, just staring at her. "And is that my baby brother!?"

Everyone within earshot chuckled when Goku pulled her into a tight—but careful—hug, holding her like he'd never let go. "I'm not your mother, Kakarot, I'm sorry. After all, you are full-blooded Saiyan."

"Oh, right." Goku set her down gently and eyed his father. "My mother?"

"Romayna died of an illness, boy. Several months before the genocide. I'd… I'd rather not talk about it," Bardock added, his eyes giving away his grief.

"Sorry," Goku whispered, pulling his father into a hug, despite his dealings with Raditz and Vegeta, which had taught him that Saiyan men did _not_ like to be embraced. "I didn't mean to bring up a painful memory, Father."

Bardock shoved him away lightly. "It's alright, brat. The answer to your other question is 'yes.' That's your little brother in Mako's belly. His name is Kale."

"Wow… it's kind of funny, you know. Your grandson is older than your son."

"I have a grandbrat?" Bardock asked in surprise, looking around them. When his eyes came to rest on the unruly mane of black hair and black eyes, coupled with a face that looked just like his own, he grinned with pride. "Damn, Kakarot, he's pretty strong for a brat."

Goku shrugged and gave him his typical easy grin. "He's my son, what did you expect?"

"The House of Bardock is becoming quite the force to be reckoned with," Usagi chimed in with a lazy smile, backing up into Vegeta's arms when she felt his ki come up behind her. "Late as usual, Geta. You missed all the fun."

"I sensed it," he growled. "_Another_ fucking Super Saiyan? You've _got_ to be shitting me."

"You'd better get on achieving that goal before Turles beats you to it, too," she teased. "He was stronger than Bardock three months ago, but it doesn't mean he's gotten there. Especially if he's recently mated; I'm sure he's been extremely distracted from training." Usagi sighed and frowned when Vegeta pushed her out of his arms and flew away. _Gods, Geta, I was fucking joking! _She yelled at him with her ki. _You're acting like an oversensitive woman!_

Reading the message in her ki, Bardock turned. "I take it the prince is a bit miffed about something you said?"

Usagi sighed and hung her head. "I touched on a sore spot. Me and my damned big mouth. I need to go and make this right, boys; I'll see you all later."

#######################

Usagi heard the feral snarl aimed in her direction the moment she manually overrode the gravity and opened the door to the building. "Geta, I'm _sorry_," she sighed, "please don't be mad at me."

Those stony obsidian orbs just glared at her with malice. "Get out."

Taking a chance, Usagi walked over to him, but when she tried to hug him, he pushed her away, and she blinked back tears. "Beloved, please don't be mad at me," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I really didn't."

Sighing in defeat, Vegeta pulled her to him, twining their tails, and relaxed when she purred lightly in comfort. He never could stand to see her cry, and she must have been feeling really remorseful to actually call him 'beloved.'

"You'll get there," she told him gently, running her fingers through his untamable mane as she nibbled at his throat. "We'll train harder, we'll stop taking breaks. Whatever you need, Geta."

"No," he said flatly, "I'm actually making better progress when I **do** take breaks," he admitted with a growl.

"That whole 'too much of a good thing' saying?" She asked knowingly. Usagi lightly pulsed her tail around his, and smirked against his neck. "Howabout a break right now?"

"Woman, this is training time," Vegeta grumbled good-naturedly, lulled by the extremely light tailplay that she was instigating.

"Well… you could always work on your speed, Geta," she breathed into his ear. "Since I'm faster than you."

"Does someone feel like being chased?" The Saiyan prince asked with interest. "For real, perhaps?"

Gods, it was so tempting just to nod and take off, but she shook her head slightly. "No… but if you do manage to catch me, I'll make it worth your while," she promised. "I still owe you for the other day," she added with a grin, as she pulled away and walked to the door.

######################

Bardock glanced away from his soon-to-be daughter-in-law and frowned. "Did Usagi just…? They're moving awfully fast, brat."

Raditz grinned and shook his head. "No, I just think Usagi has a thing for being pinned down out in the woods and nearly getting ravished."

"Did I miss something?" Bulma asked with interest. "Are Usagi and Vegeta finally…?"

"Getting it on?" Raditz finished for her with a grin. "No, it's a game that courting couples sometimes play, but it's usually only reserved for claiming a mate."

"It's the chase," Bardock explained, taking a sip of his coffee. "When a female runs from a male's advances without flatly telling him 'no,' it's like she's saying 'come and get me.' It's the oldest mating tradition of all, and it's still the most common. The next common is fighting it out, like Rei did with Turles. Gods, I wish someone had recorded it," he chortled. "I would have paid a hundred credits just to watch him finally beat her in a fair fight. Well… semi-fair."

"Wait, _what_?" Raditz asked, grinning ear to ear. "Don't tell me Hurley Turley _cheated_ in a fight! _No_, not _Turley_, I wouldn't even _think _that of him for even a _moment_!" He laughed.

His oldest son's sarcasm wasn't lost on him at all. "It wasn't cheating… it was… prudent planning, that's all. For once, Turles thought ahead, and he was smarter than what he was working with."

"Ok, now you're just teasing me, Father. What did he do?"

"Fire-proof oil," Bardock snorted, shaking his head as he laughed.

"HAH! Good for him! I honestly would have never thought of it! I hope he remembers to use it again when he gets her pregnant!"

Bulma just stared at Raditz, who had practically been reduced to giggles, and shook her head in wonder. Wow, this was a totally new side to him, just like seeing Vegeta all tender and kind with Usagi.

Bardock looked up and his expression shifted to something a little softer. "Mako says that supper's ready, and that we'd better hurry before Kakarot and my grandbrat eat it all." Then he grinned. "She's staving off the boy with cookies, though, in the meantime. I think she's taking a liking to him."

"Gods, like that brat needs any more women coddling him," Raditz said with a scowl. "Usagi's trying to train him, and we just got Chi-Chi to allow it without sneaking around behind her back."

"Hey!" Bulma whacked his arm as hard as she could, knowing he'd barely even feel it. "After you _**stole**_ the poor kid, Chi-Chi has every right to be protective of him! And then after that, Piccolo drug him off for training and he didn't even see his mother for like, a year! You're just getting what you deserve, Raditz!"

Bardock and Raditz just stared at her, identical looks of incredulity on their faces. "Woman, Saiyan children begin their training as soon as they can _walk_," the younger of the two said flatly. "My nephew is plenty strong, stronger than most, in fact. But his technique is shit… hell, when I kidnapped him, he didn't even know how to use his ki. He's way behind, and if we were on Vegeta-sai, he wouldn't even see his mother during this kind of catch-up training. The Namek had the right idea, but I'm not going to rip him away from Chi-Chi, either. So we're training him this way."

"You just won't take him from Chi-Chi because you don't want a Kaioken-strengthened frying pan aimed at your face," she grumbled.

Raditz shrugged. "Not denying it, woman. But I also don't want to do that to the boy, not after what I did last time. Besides, he's coming along quickly with Usa as a teacher, and I'm sure his mother will as well," he added with a grin. "I'm strangely looking forward to sparring with my new sister, she's got quite the temper."

"Heh, maybe I should take Usagi up on some lessons as well?" Bulma asked, half-serious. "I'd be more than happy to kick your ass, Raditz."

"Hm, kinky," he chuckled, waggling his eyebrows.

"Are you sure she's not a halfbreed?" Bardock asked lightly.

"No, it just seems that we all have an affinity for women with tempers."

######################

"Raditz is signaling for food," Usagi mumbled into Vegeta's bare chest, stroking over his scars lightly.

"Hn, good. I'm hungry after all that," he agreed happily, bending his head to kiss her. "We'd better go change, though… I made short work of your clothes."

With a sultry smile, Usagi opened her subspace and pulled out clothes for the both of them.

"Wait… where did you get clothes for me?" He asked in confusion. "Did you actually plan this?"

Shaking her head as she pulled on a pair of panties and a nice matching bra, she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "Planned, no. But I've been prepared since the other day. I didn't want you to be forced to run around naked because I shredded your spandex."

Vegeta had to laugh at that; at least his mate thought ahead most of the time. He yanked on the new training gi before tugging his armor back on—at least that was mostly unscathed. Once he'd finally caught his little blonde vixen, she'd been just as eager as he, ripping at his clothes with a one-minded intensity that only a Saiyan was capable of. It seemed that the hormones were finally starting to take their toll on her as well; hopefully she'd yield her virginity to him soon.

Vegeta blinked in surprise and just took in the sight of her for a long moment when he turned around. "You—you look like a _girl_."

Not fooled for a moment by the remark, Usagi winked at him and adjusted her skirt. She could tell he liked it, it was more than obvious by the look in his eyes. "Bulma bought me a few, but since I'm always training…" She shrugged.

"Yeah, not exactly practical…" Vegeta licked his lips and pulled her into his arms, sliding an ungloved hand up her thigh. His gloves were somewhere out there in the woods, but he wasn't too sure where. Their clothes had gone flying in an awfully big hurry once he'd gotten her to the ground. "…but it's very accessible," he finished with a possessive growl.

"Glad you like it," she replied breathlessly. Gods, she'd only just gotten off after she'd done the same for him, and he was already turning her on again! "Food," she reminded him weakly. "Then maybe you can appreciate my dress afterwards."

"I'm dying to fully appreciate it, Usa," he rumbled into her neck. "It's unbelievably tempting, you know, just to hike it up, rip off your panties, and take what's mine."

Gods, why did he have to be so damned sexy! Just his words were crumbling her resolve, making her wonder why in the hell she hadn't already let him claim her. "Damn Saiyan hormones," she whimpered.

"Not your fucking brother," he whispered in her ear. Vegeta grinned when she looked up at him, raising a single golden eyebrow. "You were thinking it," he teased.

"On the contrary… I was thinking that being as sexy as you are should be a fucking crime," she snorted.

"Oh, really? Please, woman, regale me with tales of how sexy you think I am."

With another snort and a roll of her eyes, Usagi lifted into the air. "You know very damned well how sexy you are, Your Highness, and I know you do, because you're using it to your full advantage."

"You've got me there, woman. I'm a Saiyan Elite; I use _all_ my charms to my full advantage."

"Good, because you don't have many!" She countered, pleased to suddenly be back on even footing when he scowled at her and huffed indignantly.

###################

Usagi was careful to land just outside of Kakarot's sparring field, so as not to give anyone a flash of her lacy underwear, and was glad she'd done so when she began walking across the field, drawing stares from quite a few men that she hadn't met. Her lips twitched up in a smirk when Vegeta landed right next to her, wrapping his tail around her waist possessively as they strode to the Son house.

"Wow… who's the babe?"

Both of them turned their heads and snorted in contempt at Yamcha. "_Why_ is he here?" Usagi mumbled under her breath. "Raditz is going to fucking kill him if he sees him."

"I'm going to kill him if he keeps undressing you with his eyes," Vegeta snarled. "I'm close to doing it now, after the way he acted with Bulma." When he'd found out about it, he'd nearly flown over to the little weakling's house, but Kakarot had stopped him, and asked him to merely keep an eye on Bulma if Raditz wasn't around to do it. Of course he'd agreed, that annoying human woman was the closest thing to a friend he'd ever had on this pathetic planet until Usagi had come.

Usagi turned her head to his ear and nipped at it. "Don't worry, beloved, I can handle myself. I'll spar with the jackass later; I'm sure it'll be pretty humiliating to get the shit kicked out of him by a girl in a dress."

Vegeta continued inside while Usagi leaned against the side of the house next to a tall green man. "So, Namek… I'm assuming you're the one that the boy calls Mr. Piccolo?"

"I am. And you are?"

Usagi looked up at him and grinned. So… no one at this party really knew who she was? That was an interesting development. And the bald guy sparring with Yamcha had only seen her from a distance, while she'd been wearing her armor, with her hair in a bun. "The boy hasn't told you?"

"I haven't seen Gohan in a couple months, and his mother doesn't particularly like me."

"Keeping a low profile, I understand," Usagi chuckled. "I'm Usagi." They stood there in companionable silence for a little while, simply observing the friendly matches out in the field with trained eyes, noting mistakes and attacks of interest.

Piccolo was the first to move, going completely rigid when Raditz, carrying Bulma, and Bardock shot into view.

"As Gohan would say, 'slow your roll, Namek.' They're friends, I promise." She regally lifted her chin, daring him to argue when he looked at her, then again at Raditz. "Trust me, Piccolo, if you attack one of them, you're going to have to deal with me. Likely Kakarot as well," she chuckled.

Piccolo blinked at the sound of Goku's Saiyan name. "You're Saiyan, too?" He asked incredulously.

"Tattoo's under the sleeve," she replied smoothly, stiffening when Yamcha turned to look at Bulma. She hadn't realized she'd taken a step forward until she felt a clawed hand on her arm. "If he so much as touches her, Namek, you'd be wise to let me go," she growled. "He got physical with her a few days ago at Capsule Corp, and Raditz nearly killed him."

Yamcha had hurt Bulma? Piccolo could hardly believe it, but he released her arm. This woman had no reason to lie, and her anger towards the scarred warrior gave her words the ring of truth. He moved to stop her once more when she darted forward, but she was way too fast. Damn it, she was fast!

But Usagi wasn't after Yamcha, she was putting herself between him and her nightguard, whose ki was flaring murderously at the sight of him. "Go inside, Radu. That's an order," she added softly. "Take Bulma with you, and stay close to Kakarot."

All of the Z warriors studied her carefully when she turned around to face Yamcha. "I advise that you leave right now, boy, unless you've got some sort of death wish." When he didn't answer, her ki flared just a little in anger. "And if you keep looking at me like I'm some piece of meat, I'm going to rip out your offending eyes."

"You could try," Yamcha replied with a little smirk.

Usagi barely registered the words from behind when Vegeta's voice said, "he asked for it;" she was simply too busy swinging and missing as Yamcha easily darted out of her range. He was using his ki, though, and Usagi wasn't.

She quickly remedied that, drawing gasps and exclamations from the crowd as she went straight to her full strength, holding nothing back, and left a broken and bleeding Yamcha on the sparring field in less than two minutes. She's only taken that long in order to draw out his agony. Before she walked away, she bent down to his ear. "That was for Bulma, asshole. And if you ever touch her again, I'll beat you twice as hard before I let Radu send you to Hell. You should also be aware that Vegeta has laid a familial claim on Bulma, making him her brother.

"Let me spell the rest of it out. Raditz is her mate. Bardock is her father-in-law. Vegeta and Kakarot are her brothers… which makes me her sister. That's five Saiyan warriors that'll take a piece out of your pathetic ass if you even look at her wrong. Keep your distance, boy."

"I thought you said you were going to rip out his eyes," Vegeta chuckled, as she finally approached the house. "I do believe you're a liar, Commander."

"Didn't want to scar Gohan," she replied flatly, wiping the blood on her knuckles off on her hemline. The motion didn't ruin the dress, though, the beating had already done that; her skirt and bodice were already covered in blood spatters, as were her arms and face. "But in my defense, both of his eyes will be so swollen that he won't be able to see for days."

"Got some in your hair, Rabbit of Doom," Raditz chuckled darkly, slapping her on the back. "I absolutely adore the way you took your time between bones to let him feel the most pain. Vegeta's taught you well."

Usagi didn't respond, she merely nodded her head in respect to Kakarot. "I'm sorry if I ruined the gathering, Kakarot, but he did ask for it."

Trying not to sputter, he managed a nod. Yamcha had had it coming, he had asked for it, and it was fitting that a woman had done the job. And it hadn't been in the house, at least. Not to mention, Yamcha hadn't been invited, but had come with Krillin anyway, knowing that Goku was too nice to call him out in front of everyone else.

"I have spare clothes, if a place to change and clean up isn't an inconvenience," she said politely. Usagi didn't feel bad in the slightest for what she'd just done, she just felt bad for doing it there.

"Kakarot, you should be grateful; if it had been a male, he would have been killed. Usagi just beat him half to death," Vegeta pointed out with a satisfied smirk, ushering his mate inside to a hushed kitchen.

Usagi found Bulma and Mako with their hands raised, and slapped five with them as she passed; apparently that was some sort of universal gesture, since she'd understood it.

She exited the house dressed in her battle fatigues, her tail thrashing behind her in agitation. It had been wrapped around her waist beneath the dress, but now it was obvious for everyone in attendance that she was definitely a Saiyan warrior. "What?" She snapped, when all of Kakarot's friends stared at her.

Pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head, the bald guy she'd seen once before slowly approached her. "We've just never seen a Saiyan woman before," he admitted, looking her up and down. "Personally, I just thought they'd be… beefier. Taller, even. You're not much taller than I am."

Usagi had to give him credit, he had balls. "Half-Saiyan, half-Althean woundbinder," she said simply. "But you're right, full-blooded Saiyan women have more muscle tone and can get as tall as Kakarot and his kin. Don't be fooled just because I look soft, little man," she added with a smirk.

"Has anyone ever told you how much you look like Vegeta when you do that?" He asked in wonder. When she just nodded and chuckled, he grinned. "So… you're his sister or something?"

"NOT MY FUCKING SISTER!" Vegeta roared from the kitchen, followed by laughter from all of the Saiyans.

"Vegeta's sleeping with his sister!" Usagi gasped and stared at the front door when she heard Kakarot's voice teasing her mate, and wasn't surprised to see him fly backwards out of the door, blocking and laughing, while Vegeta tried his damnedest to put him in the dirt, followed by the sound of Chi-Chi screaming for them to take their Saiyan bullshit the fuck outside.

"Kakarot!" Usagi yelled, the sound coming out more like a whine, "stop picking on Geta!" The princess shook her head and sat down on the ground with a huff. "Stupid Saiyan males."

Raditz plopped down next to her to watch the fireworks, handing her a plate piled high with food.

"Not you," Usagi amended, "since you brought me food. Thank you, Radu."

Krillin grinned and sat down on her other side. "So, he's not your brother, then?"

Usagi and Raditz both turned their heads and just looked at him. "For a man that doesn't have a nose, you sure do like to stick it in other people's business," she said without emotion, turning back to her food and the fight in front of her.

Krillin felt her pulse her ki at a rapid pace and looked up at her. "What was that?"

"Ki language," she replied with her mouth full. "I was telling Geta to focus on his right, he's leaving his ribs unguarded."

"Huh… could you guys teach me that? That could come in handy." Krillin beamed when she shrugged non-commitally and continued to eat.

Still with her mouth full, she considered having an extra student. "Already training the brat and Chi-Chi, so you can learn Ki with him. You train with us, you don't slack, and you show up on time, or I kick your ass." Devouring the last of her food, she looked up when she felt Bardock's ki approaching. "Good, now that I've got you, sit the hell down so I can ink you," she ordered with a huge grin.

He returned the grin and sat down after nudging Krillin with his boot, and the little man quickly took the hint and moved over. He ate with his left hand while Usagi went to work, both of them a tad amused by the fact that they had a gathering audience. Thankfully, Raditz fielded all of the questions about tattoos, pointing at one of their own whenever certain questions were asked, and when the fight in the sparring field was over, Goku's tattoo attracted their attentions.

"I'll heal you in a moment if you need it, Geta," Usagi said softly, unable to look up from her work. "I'm nearly finished."

"Feh, woman. I'm just fine," he grunted.

"Then go get something to eat, stubborn," she ordered sweetly, using her tail to lightly brush over his before wrapping it back around her waist.

She'd just finished when he returned, and with a sigh of annoyance, she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him as she flooded him with her light to heal his numerous injuries. "Fine my ass," she snorted, resting her forehead against his. "Not your sister," she whispered softly. Usagi gurgled with pleasure when Vegeta pulled her to him with a grunt and kissed the daylights out of her in response before turning to his food. "Wow, I'll have to say that more often," she giggled, turning back to Bardock's shoulder to heal it and leave a perfect tattoo, marking him as a Legendary.

"Spar?"

Usagi looked up to see the Namek removing what could only be weighted gear, and gave him a quick grin and a nod. "No whining when I beat your ass, though."

Piccolo hated to admit it, but after observing her ki level earlier, he knew she was much stronger than himself, likely as strong as Vegeta. He waited for her to pull on her black gloves before they floated over the field, Yamcha's broken body long gone; Goku had IT'd him to the hospital while Usagi had changed clothes.

"Whenever you're ready, Namek," Usagi said sweetly. "The boy's watching, so I promise not to _totally_ wipe the floor with you."

As promised, Usagi kept her ki only a little higher than Piccolo's, making their sparring match more friendly than serious, which made it last much longer. She called an end to it when they were both soaked with sweat, and threw him a towel out of her subspace. "Not bad for a green bean," she said with admiration. "I can see where Gohan gets what little technique he has."

"I had to focus on his power level when I was training him," Piccolo grunted. "I didn't get a chance to teach him any finesse."

"He's getting better, the brat's a really fast learner, thank the gods. I don't suppose you'd like to help me train him? Back home, it's considered beyond rude to steal a student from a master, but it's not like I could locate you to ask permission to teach him."

"I can't come every day, but I'll help when I can," he answered after a moment of thought. Despite himself and his dislike for most Saiyans, Piccolo actually liked her a little, and approved of her tutelage of his student. She talked too much, but it wasn't like she couldn't back it up, either. "How'd you get his mother to let you work with him?" He wonder out loud.

"Oh, _that_. Well, I guess I can tell you, but I'd rather show you. Kakarot's going to shit the bed when he sees this… hm, I need an extra sword, though."

Piccolo pointed at her hip and one materialized out of thin air.

"Damn if you Nameks aren't good for something after all," she teased, unstrapping it. "Chi-Chi!" Usagi yelled, as they neared the house. "If you want a piece of me, come and get it!"

Gohan and Usagi both grinned when everyone's heads turned and they simply stared at the princess like she'd gone insane… until Kakarot's mate stepped outside, frying pan in hand. Chi-Chi grinned and handed the pan to Bulma when she saw the spare sword, though, and quickly approached Usagi and took it from her.

"Good balance," she remarked, testing it out.

"I thought this would make it fairer," the princess snickered, tipping her head towards the field. "I'm already warmed up if you'd like to spar."

"Chi-Chi?" Goku asked in confusion, touching down by her side. He blinked in surprise when she gave him a feral grin, reminding him of their days as teenagers, and leaned in to nip at his lower lip. The Saiyan in him rose up at that and licked its chops at the sight of his woman with a sword in hand and murder in her eyes. "Kick her ass," he chuckled, stepping off the field and out of the way.

"More Saiyan in that one than he realizes," Usagi chuckled lightly.

"I've actually been meaning to ask you, Usagi…"

When Chi-Chi actually blushed a little, Usagi laughed and shook her head. "Let me guess…? He's been a tad aggressive lately? Especially in bed?" Chi-Chi nodded a little, and the blonde patted her shoulder. "It's normal. I'll bet you a credit that he goes through this a few times a year with you. It's likely because you're in heat, and fertile. He's trying to knock you up."

"Oh. Well, damn. I'm awfully glad for that birth control, then."

"Don't let him catch wind of where it is, Chi-Chi. I know for a fact that Saiyan males will hide it or destroy it given the opportunity. That's actually how Kakarot happened," she giggled. "Bardock wouldn't let Romayna drink her contraceptives for days."

"_Let_ her?" Chi-Chi asked in surprise. "And just how did he keep her away from it? He had to sleep sometime, right?" Usagi's expression made her blush. "Oh, that's how. Saiyans and their all-nighters… Kami. You know, Usagi, this really is the very first time he's ever been this aggressive. I simply can't recall any other time."

"Well, Kakarot smacked his head as an infant, according to Raditz. Maybe all these Saiyans being around is starting to revive his forgotten nature. I mean, it's in there _somewhere _in his head, the blow just suppressed it. This is something you'd want to ask Ami, she's the smart one. Or Bulma."

Usagi whipped out her sword, checked it quickly for dings, and took a fighting stance. "Alright, enough talking, woman. We'll discuss Saiyan hormones and crazy warriors later."

"Sounds like a plan," Chi-Chi answered with a grin, flaring what ki she had.

Usagi matched it before she struck, pleased when the vibration didn't kill her hands. She'd suspected that it was the frying pan's molecular structure had something to do with its inability to handle a strike, and was happy to know she'd been right.

Chi-Chi pressed an attack just like before, as expected, but Usagi kept her footing since she was much more confident with sword in hand than a cast iron skillet. She swung left and sidestepped to draw her opponent, keeping her true skill with a blade a secret until she found herself backed into the edge of the woods.

With a quick dart through an opening, Usagi reversed their positions and followed up with a flurry of swings and jabs, grinning in triumph as Chi-Chi tried to do the same and found her exit from the woods blocked. Then she was pressed against a tree, defending like hell, but the speed of the Saiyan woman was just too much for her.

With Saiyan steel pressed to her throat, Chi-Chi finally yielded, and let out a deep breath she'd been holding in order to stay still. "Good match."

"Heh, you're out of breath already, Chi-Chi? We'll have to work on your stamina." Usagi sheathed her sword and wrapped her arm around the older woman's shoulders, leading her back to the house. "Come on, we'll walk it off. Don't want you getting a cramp."

Vegeta could tell she was getting tired, and made a point of distracting his mate with an occasional kiss whenever she got that gleam in her eye again, signaling that she was ready to challenge someone to a sparring match.

He was ignoring everyone else at that point, as he was prone to do anyway, but he'd found it difficult to do so at first, since he knew _why_ the stares were coming. Damn it, was showing his mate a little affection _that_ damned bizarre to these stupid humans?

"Coming from you, yes," Usagi snickered. "Yes, you said that out loud, beloved. And if you really want to make their eyes pop, we could do a little more than kissing out here on the lawn…?"

Vegeta laughed at that, a real laugh, which only drew more stares and a look of doom from the princess, which immediately made them all find something else to look at. "Would you like to do a little more than kissing, Usa?" He purred in her ear, licking the lobe just to make her shiver.

"Most definitely." The blonde Saiyan squealed and giggled when Vegeta slung her over his shoulder and suddenly took off into the air towards Capsule Corp at top speed. "Geta! That was rude!"

"Like I give a fuck," he grunted. "I want to get off. And if you're good, I _might_ return the favor," he teased.

"Might, my ass, Vegeta! Don't make me strap you down and sit on your face!"

He immediately halted their flight and gaped at her a little. "Gods, you've got quite the mouth when you're pissed, woman."

"I've also got quite the mouth when I'm _satisfied_," she countered with a smirk. "Care to find out?"

"When you put it that way…"

###################

Raditz didn't even open his eyes when he felt a soft pair of lips pressing against his own, and wrapped an arm around the waist of the small woman who had enough guts to enter a warrior's room without permission. "I didn't think you'd come to me this soon," he whispered against her mouth, "but I swear I'll be careful not to hurt you."

Bulma shivered at his words, and quickly drew back when he reached over to pull her in with him. "I… I was just bringing you breakfast, Raditz. You know, since you've been bringing me supper while I'm working."

Glittering onyx eyes cracked open to regard her seriously. "Women don't enter the room of an unmated warrior when he's sleeping," he stated firmly. "It's seen as a request for sex."

"Oh!" She said sharply, and quickly backpedaled away from him. "Raditz, I am **so** sorry, I really didn't know that! Breakfast is right there for you on the nightstand… I'll see you downstairs."

Bulma moved fast, backing up towards the door, but as her hand touched the knob, he shook his head and smiled. "Eat with me," he said. "Just eating," he chuckled, when she hesitated.

She slowly made her way back to his bedside, and handed him a plate with bacon, eggs, toast, and fruit, before sitting on the edge of the bed and fixing a plate for herself. "I really am sorry," she said with a blush.

"It's alright. I have to admit though, the moment you woke me, I was very much looking forward to claiming you." He grinned when her blush reached her ears. Gods, it was fun getting this reaction out of her, and he found himself wondering if the rest of her was just as red at that moment.

Bulma focused on the meal in front of her, afraid of what she might do if she made eye contact with the man lying next to her. She could feel his eyes on her, radiating sexual hunger, as he ate his breakfast quickly.

"Thank you for the meal," he said softly, as they both finished and she took his plate.

"You're welcome, Raditz. I'll… um… get out of your hair, now."

"By all means, woman, I enjoy having you in my hair," he said with an easy grin. "But I'd enjoy you more if you were in my bed." He watched her hesitate to leave, and slowly sat up, letting the sheet fall away to expose him, knowing all too well what effect it would have on her. Raditz smiled slowly as he felt her eyes slowly moving up his body, pausing for a long moment at what was so blatantly male. "I think you'd enjoy it, too, Bulma," he finally said, beckoning her over. "Come here."`

She found it hard to breathe as she took one hesitant step towards him, but got a hold on her better senses before she went any further. And Bulma did the one thing she could at that moment; she bolted.

Raditz chuckled at her swift retreat, listening to her feet thundering down the hallway and into the kitchen. He wasn't offended, he'd seen the stark look of desire in her eyes; she just had yet to come to terms with it.

And since she'd run from him, she was going to have to come to terms with it… _soon_.

"Let the games begin, woman," Raditz chuckled to himself, lying back on his pillow. He'd give her a head start; after all, it was only fair.

**Next chapter: An aggressive, sexy Goku, Raditz gives chase, and a mysterious young man appears out of nowhere… hmm. I wonder who in the hell he could be? R&R and I'll get it up fast, yall!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Ok, I think I fixed everything I'd already written to properly account for continuity. If you find a mistake, ignore it, lol. And THANK YOU everyone, for reviewing last night and this morning! As promised, sexy Goku, Bulma and Raditz play the chasing game, and we meet someone new… exactly WHO he is will be in the next chapter, so please R&R!**

"What are you doing?"

Chi-Chi jumped at the sound of her mate's voice and quickly swallowed the pill she'd put in her mouth. "Taking my vitamins, why, honey?"

"Oh, ok." Goku eyed the package in her hand; it certainly didn't look like a package that vitamins normally came in. He squeezed his eyes shut when he felt anger washing through him, mixed with a driving need to take his mate; he'd been feeling it for days, but was at a loss as to _why_ it was happening. It had never happened like this before, at least not with this level of intensity.

His actions were totally out of his control when his hand suddenly darted forward, snatching up the round plastic and foil-wrapped container, and holding it close to his face to read the small print. Goku growled low in his throat as he crushed the entire thing to dust in his fist.

Chi-Chi opened her mouth to protest in anger, but her words died on her tongue when he glared at her. "What do you want?" She finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You," he snarled, backing her up against the bathroom wall.

"Goku, I…"

"Kakarot," he rumbled, nearly groaning at the feel of her curves pressed to him, and the scent of her fear mixed equally with her arousal. That smell was simply intoxicating to the animal inside of him, and it made the urge to take her irresistible.

"Kakarot," she whispered, jumping at the sound of his sudden purr and the feeling of his pleasure at hearing that name from her lips. Chi-Chi shook a little when she felt his hands pushing up her skirt and pulling down her underwear as he bent his head to her throat. He wasn't hurting her, but damn if this one-eighty wasn't scaring the daylights out of her.

"Relax," he ordered firmly, pulling her blouse over her head to bite down on her mark. Kakarot moaned at the taste of her, and in one swift motion he lifted her a little and thrust into her roughly. "Won't hurt you," he mumbled against the mark. "Just need you."

Barely nodding her consent as he began to move, Chi-Chi whimpered at the waves of pleasure humming through her body despite his aggression. He wasn't exactly pounding into her, but he was claiming her a lot harder than usual, nipping, licking, and kissing her furiously as he thrust into her. She had to admit that it was exhilarating to be taken in this manner, to know that she could get this kind of reaction out of her usually sweet and gentle husband.

She reveled in his possessive growl when she climaxed and moaned his Saiyan name, and he wasn't far behind her, grunting and gasping with pleasure as he spilled his seed.

Goku simply held her, pinned to the wall, while he tried to get a handle on his primitive side and checked on her through their bond to make sure he hadn't terrified her. "You alright?"

"More than alright," she chuckled. "You?"

He shook his head a little. "I want more," he groaned, running his tongue over her mark. "Please, Chi-Chi, I need you."

Shivering at the pleasure shooting through her, she gave him a tiny nod. "Put me down, big man. I know what you need, but since your ki's a lot higher than mine, I get a head start."

"Huh?" He complied and set her on her feet, but her words only confused him.

"You heard me, Goku… or Kakarot. Whoever you are right now," she said with a knowing smirk. Chi-Chi threw her panties and blouse back on, holding him off with a gesture of peace when he snarled and tried to advance on her once more. "Ah ah ah… fifteen minutes, Kakarot. It's only fair to let your mate find a good hiding place. You know this game?"

"I think so," he allowed. At least on an instinctual level, he thought he did… if he got her meaning right. And he knew he had gotten it correct when she simply strode out through the kitchen and out the backdoor, lifting off and shooting into the woods. Thank God Usagi had taught her to fly the morning before; she wouldn't have had a chance of hiding from him on foot.

#######################

Trying her damnedest to control her breathing, Chi-Chi perched delicately in a fragrant pine tree. She knew several things after being mated to a Saiyan for over ten years. They had a great sense of smell, but that sense could be thwarted by masking it. They had a tendency to hunt from the air, so she was fairly safe in a lower branch, nestled amongst the pine boughs. They also had great hearing; not as good as Piccolo's, but still good enough to hear her if she wasn't quiet.

They also had a tendency to hunt by sensing ki, and she had hers as low as it could go… but she was having an awfully hard time blocking her mating bond with Goku, since she'd never really done it before, and she could feel him pressing against it, trying to locate her.

Closing her eyes, she tried to remember what Usagi had taught her about sensing ki, and after several minutes she was able to focus on her mate's. He was above her, about a hundred yards off, moving slowly. Shit, he was being a lot more thorough than she expected, but if she moved, he'd definitely sense her.

She exhaled loudly once he was half a mile away, headed towards Capsule Corp, and debated her next move. She could stay put, but that was hardly sporting, right? So her other option was to take off again and find another hiding spot. But how to do that without using her ki? If he sensed it, he'd surely come running and nail her.

In more ways than one, too.

"Dear Kami, what in the hell did I get myself into?" She grumbled. Chi-Chi wisely decided to wait a little longer, until he was a couple more miles out, before slowly shimmying her way out of her refuge and into the next tree. There weren't any bottom branches on the pine, but the tulip tree next door had plenty she could use.

Reflecting back several hours later, Chi-Chi realized that she should have tested the branches a little before putting her full weight on them. But hindsight twenty-twenty didn't do her a shitload of good once she was in the tulip tree and working her way down, only to break what had seemed like a solid limb.

Chi-Chi caught herself with her ki, using only a little bit of it; it was either that or break a bone on the landing. She moved quickly to the ground and immediately cut it off as soon as her feet were planted firmly in the underbrush.

And then she sensed her mate's ki headed back towards her… and then suddenly it was gone. "What the he—" Chi-Chi shrieked when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and immediately threw her to the ground, pinning her with one hand by her wrists to keep her from struggling while the other mindlessly tore off her clothes. "Cheater, you IT'd!" She yelled, kicking fruitlessly at him as he ripped off her skirt, followed by her underwear.

She cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain when he wasted no time in claiming her without any preparation, but then again, she was still plenty prepared from their earlier encounter in the bathroom. "Ah—Goku, it hurts," she whimpered, when he began slamming into her with an intensity that she'd never experienced.

Chi-Chi was more than a little surprised when he slowed down a little and began to focus on her pleasure, bending his head to take a nipple in his mouth, releasing her hands so he could slide his fingers between them to stroke her. What was pain quickly turned into raw pleasure, and she was biting down on his mark as she came and dug her nails into his back. "Kakarot, please," she begged, when she immediately spiraled up once more. "It's too much."

He merely growled at her low in his throat and continued to pound into her as his mouth roamed her neck and breasts, biting and nipping and sucking. He growled again, this time in approval, when he felt her tighten for a third time. "Again, woman. You belong to me." When she only moaned in reply, he bit down fiercely on her mark. "Say it, woman. You're mine, damn it."

"Yours!" She cried, when he bit down on it again and sucked on the bite. "I'm yours, Kakarot!"

"Damn right you are."

####################

"Wow, Chi-Chi. I have to ask how you managed to rile him up this much," Usagi snorted, working her hands over Chi-Chi's arms and wrists. They weren't really damaged; just lightly bruised, and the poor woman's throat was absolutely covered in dark hickeys.

"I sort of instigated a chase," she groaned. "He was getting all aggressive and dominant, and he even destroyed my birth control, and I thought it would help matters. He didn't really hurt me, though," she added quickly. "In fact, he's beating himself up for losing just this much control."

"It's because you're fertile; just submit to mating whenever he wants it, and _comfort_ him, Chi-Chi, unless you want a replay of today. He needs his polar opposite right now, someone to ground him when the Saiyan urges get out of hand. And just get some more contraceptive from Bulma before you leave. Off with the shirt and the pants, woman," Usagi ordered. "Something tells me that the rest of you looks a lot like your neck."

"And you'd be right." Chi-Chi shrugged out of her clothes, leaving on her underwear, and laughed at the look on Usagi's face. "Usa, sweetheart, those lovebites didn't even hurt; don't make that face."

"There's just so damned _many_ of them," Usagi said in a strangled voice. "Good gods, woman, was he trying to eat you or something?"

"Oh, he didn't _try_, honey. He did," she answered pleasantly, "and it was extremely good, for the record. I just wish he'd done it first, and not on the fourth go-round. It wouldn't have been so uncomfortable in the beginning. Damn Saiyan men and their donkey dicks," she snorted with amusement.

"Gods… is Geta going to…?" Usagi blushed at the idea as she started healing the marks on the insides of Chi-Chi's thighs, letting the light radiate further up to her privates.

"I think he'll be a little kinder than that the first time, Usagi," she answered in understanding. "I was scared my first time, too, but if he knows what he's doing, it'll only hurt for a moment. Really, it didn't hurt any more than the pain of stubbing a toe, and it was gone pretty fast." Chi-Chi removed her bra when Usagi got to her chest, and tried not to laugh. "I know, it looks a lot worse than it is. Goku's always been a tit man."

"I can see that," Usagi deadpanned, shaking her head in wonder at the lovebites covering her breasts, coupled with the slightly raw nipples that came from having them sucked on for too long. "Hm… Geta's never been this rough with me in the dreams, at least. I guess that's something."

"Dreams?" Chi-Chi's expression clearly told Usagi that she'd better spill it since she'd already opened her big mouth.

With a blush, Usagi quickly explained her dreams of the green-eyed warrior, the "real" dreams, and her later revelation that the crown prince was her mystery man.

"That's fucking sexy, Usagi. And I don't even like Vegeta," she laughed. "But if I was having dreams like _that_, and found out it was him… if I wasn't already mated, of course… I'd be jumping his ass the first chance I got."

She sighed with longing at the idea of just dreaming of him again, but neither of them had even seen the void since her arrival, let alone that candle-lit bedroom where they'd worshipped each other's bodies countless times. Finally, she nodded. "I'll talk with him later… I think you're right, and even though it's only been a few weeks since my arrival…"

"He's waited _years_," the brunette supplied. "Like I said, I don't like Vegeta, but I'm finding myself rooting for him lately. And I know all too well how crazy a Saiyan male can get if you test his patience," she laughed. "Well, after today, I do. I really need to have a word with Bardock or Raditz and see if this is normal for them."

"You need to have a word with Bulma and get her to do a brain scan on your mate," Usagi countered lightly.

####################

Usagi and Vegeta stopped fighting when they heard an ear-piercing whistle from below. "Yeah, Bulma!?" The blonde shouted down.

"Your scouter's ready, Usa!"

She grinned and immediately dropped to the ground, gratefully taking the piece of equipment from the blue-haired genius. "How did you do it so fast?"

"Raditz. He let me take his scouter apart the other night, and I figured out how to boost your signal with some pieces from my cell phone. So, I took the liberty of lifting yours from your room and doing the same thing to it. Hope you don't mind," she added quickly, when Usagi's eyes flashed with brief anger. "I kind of wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh. Sorry, I just don't like people messing with my things. Thank you, Bulma!" She gave her a quick hug, and cut on her scouter, only to groan at the sight of a dozen messages as her signal linked up with her mailbox on Vegeta-sai. "And half of them are from Father, what a surprise!" She grumbled sarcastically.

Vegeta approached her slowly, as if she'd suddenly caught fire. "You mean you can speak with Father now?"

Bulma and Usagi both smiled at him gently, knowing how badly Vegeta had likely been aching to talk to the old man since the Saiyan genocide. "In a minute, beloved," Usagi said softly in Saiyan, enjoying the way his face lit up at that word.

"Alright, let's do this," she said in English for Bulma's benefit, before switching to Saiyan to give her scouter orders. "Connect me to the Royal Palace," she ordered. "King Vegeta."

"This is a secure line, only for use by the royal family," an annoyed voice warned her.

"Well, then, puppy, it's a good thing I'm not there to kick the shit out of you for using it," she quipped. "Put me through to His Majesty immediately," she ordered.

"Patch through on the visual, woman, and identify yourself." A young Saiyan gaped when she did as requested, and quickly bowed his head in respect. "Princess, forgive me, I didn't know it was you."

"Don't call me that!" She snapped. "Put me through, Asparago. I've located His Highness, and wish to report to His Majesty."

Aspargo's eyes went wide. "You actually found Prince Vegeta? He's alive!?"

"Yes, damn it, boy, _put me through_!" Usagi raged, her tail lashing behind her in annoyance.

"Your temper's getting the better of you, woman," Vegeta's voice rumbled off-screen.

"I get it from my mother," she grumbled, relaxing a little as Vegeta came from behind her and gently massaged her shoulders.

"Yes, you do," another voice agreed, this one coming from Vegeta-sai.

"Father." Usagi smirked a little as Asparago was none-too-gently shoved out of his chair, and the king took his seat.

"So, you found my son? Where is he, and why haven't you contacted me until now?" He rumbled.

"Yes, Majesty, he's right behind me, being a very attentive man at the moment. You'd think that brat would know better than to address me as Princess. Though, I suppose, since you decided to ink it into my fucking arm without telling me…" she growled.

"I gave you that mark because that is what you are, daughter." King Vegeta grinned a little when she huffed and grumbled something uncomplimentary about Saiyan men. "I don't see a bite mark on your shoulder, girl."

It was Usagi's turn to grin. "That would be because there isn't one," she said tartly. "Did you really think I was going to follow an order like that so blindly?" She fought the urge to swat Vegeta away from her when he pressed his lips to her neck and bit down lightly. "Quit that."

King Vegeta had been about to rage at her for not following an order, especially his, but bit his tongue and smirked in amusement at the sudden appearance of his son. And that son was quite obviously well on his way to mating with the commander of the Saiyan Elite, since she wasn't shoving him off of her and beating the shit out of him. "Let me speak to my son."

Usagi nodded a little, removed her scouter, and handed it to Vegeta, who hesitated for a split second before taking it. "Father," he said heavily, once he had it positioned over his eye.

"Son," the king replied, his tone equally serious. They simply looked at each other for several moments, both of them mentally noting how much they now resembled each other. "I find you well?" The king finally asked.

"Yes, Father. You?"

"I am well." He grinned a little bit. "Is she making you crazy?"

"You have no idea," he muttered. "And she's my equal in strength, so…" Vegeta shrugged a little, not really sure what to say to his father after all of these years. He'd planned conversations in his head, lengthy conversations where they'd argued, reconciled, or just shot the shit. But now he was speechless.

King Vegeta was equally unable to find anything to say to his estranged boy; speaking with Usagi had been so much easier. Finally, he broke the ice. "I kept my promise, boy."

"Yes, Father," Vegeta said simply. "I know you did. She told me. And I thank you for keeping her safe."

"I keep the rest of that promise now, brat. She is yours, if you still want her. And well, if you can take her, now that she can possibly make you lick her boots."

"With some incentive, I may lick more than her boots," Vegeta chuckled, grinning when Usagi blushed.

"Let me know how that turns out," his father chuckled.

"Here, the woman wants to talk to you," Vegeta said dryly, when Usagi tapped his shoulder and motioned for him to hand it over.

"What, brat?" King Vegeta snapped good-naturedly, once she was back on the line.

"I'd like to report that we've located Kakarot as well, and that he's very strong." Usagi refrained from mentioning that he was a Super Saiyan, as far as Vegeta-sai was concerned, Vegeta would be the next one, damn it. The house of Bardock had already stolen his thunder once, and Usagi wouldn't let them steal it twice! "He's mated with a human and reproduced, too, and his son is also a very skilled fighter. And by the way, next time you decide to ink a woman's mated status, inform her first," she added angrily. "Raditz tried to claim me on the way here, and while it wasn't much of a fight, I could have avoided it all together if you'd told me!"

The king frowned deeply. Raditz hadn't once shown interest in Usagi during their return to Vegeta-sai, and he'd assumed that the third-class guard regarded her more as a sister than anything. Gods, if he'd been stronger than her… "You have my deepest apologies, daughter," he finally said. "If I'd truly thought he was a threat, I would have ordered him to steer clear of you. With that said, why haven't you mated with my son?"

Usagi blushed, and looked away for a moment in embarrassment. "Well, there's another reason you could have told me, Majesty. If you'd ordered me to become his mate—"

"What do you think that tattoo is, brat? It _is _an order."

"Yes, but I could have come to terms with it during my three months in space, Father," she snarled. "You could have told me quite a few things that would have made this simpler!" She shook her head. "How's mother?"

"She's well, and she'll be pleased to know that her daughter is safe… and mated."

"Soon," Usagi sighed. "Alright, Father?"

King Vegeta gave her a slow, genuine smile, and if it hadn't been for his goatee, he would have been identical to his son. "That's what I like to hear. Embrace my son for me, Usagi, and report back every few days."

"Yes, Majesty." She cut off the scouter and pushed the viewfinder to the top of her head.

"That sounded like an interesting conversation," Bulma chuckled. She didn't understand the Saiyan language, but she sure understood the tone."It went well?"

"Stubborn fucking Saiyan males," Usagi grumbled.

"Speaking of Saiyan males…" Bulma looked anxiously behind her shoulder. "Any advice?" She looked to Vegeta when Usagi just shrugged. "Well?"

"Bed him well," Vegeta suggested. "There's no point in avoiding him, woman. He's got your scent by now, and I'm sure he'll come looking for you once he realizes you're no longer in the house. I'm assuming you ran from him?" Vegeta and Usagi both exchanged a smile when she nodded. "Well, then, I suggest you find a good hiding place, Bulma. You just initiated the oldest Saiyan tradition of all time."

"Well, one of the oldest," Usagi corrected him. "He's going to chase you now, and when he catches you…"

"Fuck," Bulma groaned.

"Precisely," they both answered as one, followed by a laugh.

"Bardock actually mentioned this the other day… dear God, I should have remembered when I left his room. So much for getting to know each other," she whimpered. "What should I do, Usagi?" She asked softly.

It was Vegeta that answered, and his voice wasn't without sympathy. "Don't fight him, Bulma. Just let him have you. He came to me to actually request leave a few nights ago. That's a big thing for any Saiyan. We almost never request a leave. Combined with the fact that he didn't claim you then, I'd have to say he genuinely feels something for you. Was he trying to claim you when you ran?"

Bulma quickly shook her head. "More like inviting." She quickly babbled out the events of that morning, much to Usagi and Vegeta's amusements. "I don't get it, Usa, you go to Vegeta's room every night, right?"

"Geta and I are different," Usagi commented with dry amusement. "We've been warming each other's beds since we were only a few months old. You, however, went into a warrior's room while he was sleeping, and it was a warrior that you've only known for a week or so. You could have flatly told him no, but since you ran without a response, he's going to chase you."

Bulma glared at her when she laughed. "Yeah, this is all very fucking funny. I'm human, damn it, and a small one at that! And I've seen what lurks between the legs of Saiyan males!" She shook her head in amazement. "How in the hell am I supposed to…"

"Foreplay," Vegeta snorted. "Like I said, just don't fight him. He'll go very carefully with you, I'm sure of it." He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Now, I suggest you go hide somewhere, because his ki's coming this way."

Bulma's eyes went wide, and she pulled a capsule out of her pocket, throwing it to the ground. She climbed on the motorbike and sped back to the house, taking a route through the woods so she wouldn't be spotted, while the two Saiyans behind her laughed their heads off.

Raditz dropped down out of the sky and growled at the scent of his woman hanging in the air. "How long?"

"About three minutes," Usagi answered brightly. "She headed into the woods on some sort of two-wheeled transport device. She likely ran to the house. I don't know why, frankly. I would have stayed out on the open land, where I could escape more easily. Humans," she snorted with amusement.

"Raditz."

The third-class warrior turned his head to regard his prince. "Yes, Highness."

"She's not scared of you. She's scared of the pain that may come with mating. I think that's why she ran," Vegeta said flatly.

"Go gently with her," Usagi advised softly. "She can't raise her ki to block out pain, so you'll want to take your time, especially if she hasn't been with a man." She gave Vegeta a meaningful glance, knowing that he hadn't missed her underlying meaning.

"Thank you Princ—sorry. Commander," he corrected himself with a tiny grin. "And you too, Prince Vegeta. Now… I think I'm going to find my woman," he chuckled.

Usagi giggled and shook her head as he shot into the sky, his long unruly hair trailing behind him. "Happy hunting!"

"So, woman…" Vegeta eyed her with a hint of desperation, willing her to finally surrender to him.

Usagi blushed and backed away a step when he advanced. "No, Vegeta. Just… not yet. Soon, ok? Soon," she whispered, suddenly closing the gap between them and brushing her mouth over his. "I swear by everything I am that I won't make you wait much longer."

The crown prince sighed and finally nodded, aching to claim her. "It had best be very soon, woman, or you're going to wind up very angry with me."

##################

Bulma jumped when she heard a growl from behind her, but was careful not to move her hands, which were holding a lit blowtorch. She was welding some parts together to make a weapon, something she'd been experimenting with for months that would produce a powerful ki blast. Since she was hopeless at fighting with her ki, this seemed to be the only route at gaining the power all of her friends easily wielded.

She shrieked when an arm wrapped tightly around her waist and jerked her against a solid, unyielding frame, the motion causing the tool to burn her arm. She dexterously switched it off, mentally blocking out the pain just long enough to keep herself from getting burned again, before gasping sharply.

Raditz glanced down through the haze of lust that was quickly taking over, and loosened his hold on her slightly at the sight of her injury. "Fuck. Woman, I'm sorry, I didn't think about your fragility." If she'd been a Saiyan woman, that little flame wouldn't have even burned the hairs off of her arm, let alone caused those angry-looking blisters.

Bulma let him turn her in his arms and gently inspect the burn. "Don't touch it," she hissed. "I need to run it under some cold water, then treat it with salve."

She didn't have to utter another word before Raditz easily scooped her up like she weighed nothing, and carried her quickly to the kitchen, setting her on the counter. Raditz looked at her with large eyes full of remorse as he turned on the water and eased her arm under it. "Bulma, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I saw you and gods, I _needed_…"

"It's ok," she sighed. "I know how those damned Saiyan hormones get the better of you boys." She shivered when his mouth found her throat, brushing over it so lightly that it didn't even qualify as a kiss. "You still need?" She gasped.

Raditz nodded slowly, moving his lips to her ear. "I need _you_," he whispered.

"Just let me treat this burn," she said breathlessly. Bulma swallowed hard when his lips moved over her pulse, his tongue tasting her. "Is that alright?"

Raditz mumbled his agreement, milking every ounce of his willpower to draw away from her. "Where's the salve?" He asked roughly.

"My bathroom, in my…" Bulma simply shook her head. "Take me upstairs and I'll get it," she finished, unable to look away from his gaze of hunger. She licked her lips slowly. "The bathroom is in my bedroom," she finished, shivering in anticipation.

Raditz cut off the water, scooped her up without a word, and used his Saiyan speed to have her there in moments. "Let me," he offered, when she came out of the bathroom, bearing a jar and some gauze. He sat next to her on the bed, and kissed her injury before gently spreading the cooling ointment over it.

Bulma sighed with relief as the heat and pain began to fade. "So much better. That's the third time I've gotten burned this year, and I'm still not used to it."

"You should be more careful," he growled.

"I was careful," she snapped. "But someone had to jerk me back and make me bobble the blowtorch!"

"I meant the other two times," he amended, feeling a wave of guilt for causing her pain. "Here, let me wrap it."

Bulma huffed a little in an attempt to keep from yelling at him again when she saw the concern for her in his eyes. "I'll be alright, it's just a burn," she assured him. The genius smiled warmly and stroked his cheek with her free hand. "It was an accident."

"I won't hurt you again, Bulma." He neatly tied off the dressing and immediately reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head before she could react. He smirked a little at her shyness when she instantly raised her hands to cover her perfect breasts, and shook his head, taking her hands in his and pulling them away so he could look at her. "Don't hide your body from me," he ordered. "Ever." Bending his head, he took a nipple between his teeth and bit down on it lightly before suckling her. He heard her loud gasp of pleasure, followed by a moan, and carefully eased her onto her back. "I'll go slow," he promised. "As slow as you want, woman."

"I… ok, Raditz." She pulled him up to her and tugged at his shirt, which he immediately removed, and began to trace the defined muscles, making them jump. "So, do I still get that hour to learn about you?" She asked curiously.

Raditz chuckled against her throat, where his mouth was sending delicious shivers of pleasure down her spine, making her arch into him. "Ask me anything you want when I'm through making you mine, woman." His chuckle became a choked noise of pleasure when her arm went around him and one of her small hands stroked his tail lightly. "Gods, woman."

"Does… does that feel good?" She asked nervously. A gentle rocking of his hips answered her question as his mouth came crashing down on hers again, hot and needy, and she continued her gentle assault on the furry appendage. Bulma felt a surge of triumph in her sudden power over him, and found herself moving against him in encouragement as his hand slipped between them to unfasten her jeans and slide them down her hips.

Bulma whimpered as her underwear joined her pants on the floor, and looked up at Raditz in anticipation as she released his tail. His eyes were smoldering with desire as he took in the sight of her fully bare body, and he slid his large frame down the length of her until his mouth was kissing her thighs, his hands pinning her hips to the bed as she softly cried out with need. "I want you to come for me, Bulma," he growled against the inside of her thigh, just before he slipped his tongue between her folds.

"Oh, God… Raditz," she whimpered. Her hands tangled in the length of his thick hair, and she rocked her hips in encouragement as his tongue slowly explored her. "Raditz, please don't tease," she moaned, when he continued his painfully gentle ministrations, purposely avoiding the spot that would give her the most pleasure.

He stroked her nub once, then twice, groaned as she cried out softly in pleasure, then lifted his head to regard her heavily. "You're mine, woman," he rasped.

Bulma nodded, trying her hardest to pull his mouth back down. "Yours," she gasped. "Please, Raditz, I'm burning up."

"I want you to burn," he whispered, lowering his mouth to her once more. His tongue and lips were more forceful as he began to stroke her once more, building the frenzied heat between her legs until they tightened around his shoulders and she moaned in ecstasy, her hips bucking against him.

Then he was kissing her once more, gasping as her hands fumbled with his pants. "Not yet, Bulma. I want you to be ready for me."

"I'm ready," she whispered in desperation. "Please, Raditz."

"No, you're not," he replied with a shake of his head. "Not yet, beautiful." Raditz tugged her hands away from his waist when he felt the button and the zipper part, and carefully began a new assault on her senses, kissing her passionately as his hand slipped between her legs to stroke her.

Bulma shook against him, shivering from the way he was stroking her over-sensitive flesh. "Too much," she whimpered.

Knowing full well what she meant, he retreated from the spot he'd just pleasured with his mouth, choosing to slide his thick fingers inside of her instead, stretching her and preparing the way for him to claim her. "Better?" He chuckled.

"Much," she confirmed, basking in the totally new sensation of being penetrated. "I think I'm ready for you, Raditz," she moaned, moving in time with the motion of his hand. "Make love to me." She tugged at the remainder of clothing that separated them, and gasped at the feel of him pressing against her thigh.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" He groaned, knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop once he was inside of her, even if she begged him to. "It's going to hurt, Bulma. I want to prepare you more."

"It's alright," she whispered, raking her teeth down his shoulder, knowing what it would do to him. "Take what's yours, Raditz."

Raditz lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her tenderly as he positioned himself at her entrance and pressed forward. Gods, she was so damned tight that it hurt a little, and he found himself having to push into her harder than he intended just to get past her barrier and fill her.

He kissed her neck when she bit down on his shoulder to muffle her cry of pain, and ceased his movements when he smelled her virgin's blood. "I'm sorry, Bulma. This is why I wanted to give you more pleasure," he whispered tenderly.

Bulma nodded, trying to control her breathing at the feel of him stretching her so much that she thought she was going to split open. "Maybe you were right," she admitted, trying for a smile as she looked up at him.

"I'm your mate, woman, I'll always be right from now on," he replied with a smirk. He moved a little, but immediately stopped when she flinched. He settled for kissing her, touching her, enjoying the feel of her soft curves melting against him as he coaxed a soft gasp of pleasure from her throat.

Raditz murmured softly in Saiyan when her hips lifted and he felt her flex around him a little. He began to move with her, slowly at first, so slowly that he thought he'd lose his mind with need. "Gods, woman, I need you. Does it still hurt?"

"No, Raditz, it doesn't hurt," she replied, moving against him a little faster. "You're just a _**lot**_ bigger than most human men," she admitted breathlessly. "Come for me," she whispered against his ear, nibbling on the lobe as she ran her fingers along the base of his tail.

Raditz's voice became strangled as her fingers worked the fur of the sensitive appendage. "You first, woman." Not willing to have his pleasure before her, he slipped his hand between them to stroke her, pleased when her hips bucked and she cried out. "That's right, woman. Feel me, and know that you're mine."

Bulma felt him move a little harder, and whimpered at the glorious mix of pain and pleasure as she felt herself reaching the precipice. "Harder," she whispered, wanting him to give her everything. "I want all of you, Raditz. Please," she begged.

"Gods, woman," he moaned, driving forward, his eyes rolling back as he felt her tighten and stiffen around and beneath him. "You feel so fucking good." He moaned her name as finally he let go, shuddering with unbelievable pleasure, clamping down on her shoulder just hard enough to break the skin with his teeth.

Bulma clung to him tightly, breathing heavily. God, it ached between her legs; was it going to be this uncomfortable every time? She had to admit that it had felt great, too, but there had been a lot more pain than she'd expected.

"Your body will adjust to it," he assured her, licking the wound on her shoulder.

"Huh? I didn't even say anything," she said wearily, kissing the spot where she'd bitten him when he'd taken her. "And sorry about that, I wasn't exactly meaning to make you bleed." She looked to her left and chuckled. "Well, we'll have matching marks for a while."

Raditz snorted with amusement. "No, you didn't say anything, you thought it. And that's because of those marks. We're mated now, woman." He sighed with contentment at that last statement, and kissed her lazily. She was his. Completely his. No more loneliness, no more rejection.

Bulma had been about to freak out a little over him reading her thoughts, until she was swamped with his emotions; his elation at finally having someone to share his existence with, his relief that she hadn't rejected him, and she realized that now was not the time to freak out about this- empathy, telepathy—whatever the hell it was.

"It's the bond," he answered happily, drunk on the typical pleasure that a Saiyan male felt right after claiming his mate for the first time. "We'll both get used to it, Bulma. We'll figure out how to block out certain things from each other so we don't make each other crazy, and how to amplify it if there's trouble." He rolled them so that she was resting on top of him, and moved his hands slowly up and down her back in a soothing motion, massaging the tight muscles. "You know what?" He rumbled pleasantly.

Bulma felt his thoughts in her mind, and deciding to study this bond with a scientific mind, she did what those thoughts were telling her to, and rolled off of him and onto her stomach. "I did just hear you think that, right?"

"Yes, _beloved, _you did." He grinned when she blushed after a moment, hearing the translation of the Saiyan word in her head. He nodded when he heard her wondering if she would now understand his mother tongue. "You will, so long as I'm hearing it, too. Don't worry, Bulma. You're the most intelligent woman I've ever met, and I'm sure you'll simply pick the language up by being around it." He felt her flutter of real pleasure at the compliment, since she knew he really meant the words, and proceeded to run his hands up and down her back in the best massage he'd ever given her.

She closed her eyes in trust as his hands—hands that were so massive and battle-scarred that you'd think they could never be so gentle—carefully worked at the knots in her back and paid close attention to her shoulders, where she carried lots of tension from day to day. Kami, were all men this wonderful?

"No, just me," he grinned. Raditz gleefully answered her thoughts again as she wondered if she could even relax him by doing the same thing to him that he was doing to her, due to his ki, and his tolerance for pain. "I can lower my ki," he assured her, "if you'd like to do this to me sometime. But not today, Bulma. Today is for making you happy."

"Mmm, I am. What about you?" She shifted herself against him when he found a sore spot where he'd gripped her hips, and ran his fingers over it lightly.

"Woman, you're mine. That's about as good as it gets." Well, a son would also make him very happy, but he wasn't going to push an issue that would happen on its own. And soon, since Saiyan men were at their most potent right after claiming their mate. He grinned a little when she stiffened. "Don't worry, woman, you're not pregnant. Saiyans are sterile the very first time they claim their woman. Well, usually, anyway."

Bulma groaned a little when she heard him thinking about how he was the product of his father's very first time with his mother, and then heard him wonder if that trait might be hereditary. "We're going to have to use some protection, Raditz."

It was his turn to stiffen, and he stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and hurt. "You… you don't want…?"

Bulma rolled over, sat up, and kissed away his frown before resting her head against his chest. "I'd like to just enjoy this for a while, Raditz. Just you and me. Get to know each other better. Then we can worry about children."

He sighed and shook his head. "We're about to have our first argument, aren't we?" He groaned with displeasure.

"Only if you decide to argue with me," Bulma replied with biting sweetness. She grinned and tilted her head up to look at him. "I warned you about how I am, Raditz. You didn't want to listen."

"At least my mate's not boring," he chuckled.

#######################

"Geta?" Usagi whispered nervously, running her fingers through his hair.

Cracking his eyes open to greet both her and the faint light coming over the horizon, he noticed that she was shaking. "You alright, Usa?"

She nodded just a little. "I checked my scouter after I got offline with Ami. The full moon on Vegeta-sai… it's in two nights." Usagi licked her lips slowly before pressing her fully nude body against his and biting down lightly on his shoulder. "I'll be waiting for you that night if you want me, Geta."

"You're sure?" He rasped into her ear, willing his inner beast to shut the hell up at the feel of her skin rubbing against his. _You'll get it soon enough, bastard. _

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, Vegeta. I'm yours, in two nights, if you want me."

"Woman, I've wanted you since I was eight. I want you _**now**_. You think I wouldn't want you in two nights?" He chuckled, nipping at her shoulder with a genuine, happy smile. "Mine," he sighed, pulling her tightly to him. "All mine."

"Yours, Geta. I'm yours."

##########################

Usagi grinned as she placed a hand on Bulma's flat stomach and used her ki to heal the woman of her soreness, before moving to the burn on her arm. "There wasn't that much damage, so I guess he took my advice to be gentle with you."

"Thank Kami, yes he did," Bulma replied, blushing a little. "You command a squad of men, Usagi… are all Saiyan men _that big_?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Usa laughed hysterically as she nodded. "Most of them, yes. Vegeta's tall by human standards, but believe it or not, he's like the shortest Saiyan male on record... besides Tarble, of course. Most men are as tall and as big as Raditz and Kakarot. Well, Vegeta's still plenty big," she amended. "His lack of height has no bearing whatsoever on other parts of him."

"So, you're going to be just as sore as I am?" Bulma asked. "You have my deepest sympathy."

"Yeah, but I want it almost as badly as he does," she admitted. "Tomorrow night—" Her head snapped up suddenly in alarm as she sensed a ridiculously strong ki coming from the west, and cursed her lack of a telepathic connection with Vegeta. "Fuck," she snapped in Saiyan. "Where's Vegeta?"

"Gravity room," Bulma answered quickly, knowing instantly that something must be wrong if Usagi had just gone from smiling and friendly to on the war path that quickly.

"You stay here, and use your bond to call your mate. Then get on the phone with Kakarot and his father, and whoever else needs to be called. There's something coming, and it's almost as strong as Bardock or Kakarot." Usagi used her unnatural speed to dash up to her room, grab her sword and change into her battle fatigues. She pulled her hair up tightly into a braid as she continued on to the gravity room, flaring her ki in alarm to alert Vegeta. She felt his ki respond, and Raditz's as well, a single flare, asking her if she needed them. She flared her ki three times, using their signals from when they were children, to tell them that danger was coming.

She blasted into the air, headed straight for the foreign ki, and was the first one to see the threat. Usagi drew her sword slowly as she studied a young man dressed in clothing identical to hers, with the addition of a purple jacket, bearing a sword that was… gods, that thing looked just like hers, only it looked like it had seen more action. "Who are you, boy?" She asked flatly.

"I'm not the one you should worry about," he answered slowly, studying her very closely, almost like he'd never tire of just looking at her.

Usagi frowned at the way he was staring at her, and tightened her grip on her blade. "Boy, I don't appreciate being gawked at like a piece of meat. Now, who are you?"

"I'm sorry," he said, still looking at her in that strange way. "I really can't tell you that. I have a message for Son Goku, and for him alone."

"A friend is calling Kakarot, boy. He should be here shortly." She floated a little closer, as she realized that the way he was looking at her was a look of recognition and awe, as if he already knew her. "Do I know you, brat?" Usagi studied him closely, but she knew that she'd never met anyone with lavender hair before. But his face, and his eyes… gods, they were so familiar to her.

"No," he said quickly, "you don't."

"No…" Usagi agreed slowly. "But still… there's something about you that I recognize…" she shook her head vigorously, as if to clear it, and sheathed her sword behind her back. "Ack, Geta," she commented, as she felt his ki closing in, only a few miles away. She flared her ki once, then twice, letting him know that everything was alright. "There, brat. Now you don't have to worry about him flying in and Final Flashing your ass into that mountain."

"I doubt he could," the stranger snorted.

True enough, she admitted to herself. This young man's ki was incredibly high, as high as Kakarot's, in fact. "What did you mean by not worrying about _you_?" She asked suddenly, turning on her scouter and scanning the sky. "I don't see or sense anything."

"You wouldn't, not yet. But it's coming."

Usagi tensed at the growl in his voice, which reminded her of a certain Saiyan male, and stared at him. "That's why I feel like I've seen you. You _are _Saiyan, aren't you?" She raised a brow when his eyes went wide and he flew back a little bit. "What, boy? Answer me. That sword on your back is the mark of an Elite First. Where did you get it?"

"I… uh… I can't answer that," he said meekly.

"Brat, you'd better answer my mate, or I'm going to start using you as a punching bag," Vegeta growled from behind her, pleased when the boy just stared at him and Raditz in a mix of recognition and awe.

"My, uh… my father was a First," he finally answered, hoping that they'd be happy with that much information. "The sword was his, passed on to me when he and my mother died protecting me."

Usagi nodded. Passing down the family sword was a still a common practice on Vegeta-sai, and the heirloom was treasured for generations. "What was your father's name?" She held out an arm to block Vegeta from attacking when the kid blanched and shook his head, refusing to answer. "Fine, no personal questions, brat. Just tell me what's coming."

"Frieza and King Cold," he answered simply, glad to be able to give her an answer, but feeling guilty for making her look like she was going to faint.

"Did you call Kakarot!?" Usagi asked in alarm, turning to the men behind her.

Vegeta nodded, and frowned deeply. "Kakarot can't be here for about an hour, Usa. He went into the damned time chamber for twelve standard hours, late last night. And… Bardock went with him." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder when she paled drastically and trembled a little. "Woman, we're Saiyans," he said softly, "and you're no coward. We'll hold him off together."

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed, lifting her chin a little. She switched to speaking Saiyan so that the stranger couldn't understand them, not seeing the way he was attentively listening to their conversation. "It's just… when he took you, I… I remember how powerful he was."

"Kakarot and his father will be back in a little over an hour, woman. The four of us can hold them off until then." Vegeta turned to their mysterious visitor. "Can you fight, boy?"

He smirked and gave a sharp nod. "Yes, sir, I can. Don't you guys worry about them, I'll handle it. They don't stand a chance against me."

All three Saiyans turned their heads and just stared at him like he'd gone insane. "Are you _nuts!?_" Usagi shouted. "Or do you just have a death wish!? Kakarot is the fucking Legendary, and he still had a hard time beating Frieza!" Her blue eyes flashed when he simply shrugged. "You're telling me that you're strong enough to take on not only Frieza, but his father as well? Brat, you're just deluded."

"You'll see," he answered simply, snapping his head up and staring at the sky. "Follow me, they'll be landing about a mile from here."

Usagi looked to the young man when they finally stopped, watching a massive ship dropping down from space. "So, brat, what should I put on your headstone when Frieza vaporizes you?"

He laughed at her mostly-serious joke, and shook his head at her constant attempts to get his name. "Just call me… um… Trunks," he finally said.

"Trunks?" Raditz snorted. "What kind of ridiculous name is that, brat? That's not even a Saiyan name. Hell, you don't even _look_ Saiyan."

"Other than the hair and the blue eyes, he does, Radu. I'd bet money he's a hybrid, like me," Usagi said flatly. "And he's clearly not giving us his real name," she added.

"I am Saiyan," Trunks confirmed. "And I'm truly sorry for the deception, but I just can't tell you my real name. And my mother wasn't full-blooded, but my father was."

"And they are?" Vegeta asked, trying again for information.

"Sorry, but I can't tell you that either." Trunks blushed a little when the blonde Saiyan half-shrugged and smiled at his stubborn refusal. Usagi turned her head when she felt the approaching kis of the rest of the senshi, and flared her own twice, knowing that Gohan and Krillin would understand the message and relay it. She had taught them some of the basic ki signals that they used only two days prior, and a few words in Ki. Good thing too, she didn't want them getting in the way of this fight and winding up hurt.

The ship had landed, and when the door opened, warriors poured out of the hatch, followed by Frieza and his father. They just all stared at each other for a moment and weighed each other's strength while the four Saiyans were mentally going over their individual battle plans.

"Just hang back," Trunks ordered them, drawing his sword.

**BWAHAHAHAHAHA! I dunno if I'm going to actually write out the battle with Frieza and King Cold, since we ALL know what happens, we've seen the episodes how many times? Or maybe that's just me. It's one of the SHORTEST fights in DBZ, and arguably one of the best. **

**Ok. Time for review replies, at least the ones I didn't reply to via PM.**

**LonelyMoonAngel: I did reply to your via PM, but I don't know if you got it since your acct is so new and I don't know if you know how to check your private messages. Anyways, my messages are in your inbox, lol.**

**Puff: Thank you!**

**Krissy: Usa/Vegeta actual get together is coming… very VERY soon. 1-2 chapters. And I hope you found Goku sexy as hell in this chapter, I know I did. Whew, he's as hot as he is in this other thing I'm working on, but I can't seem to get it right so I can post it. Maybe later, lol. And I hope you're happy that our visitor was NOT Chibi-Usa… though… I'm considering bringing her into the picture MUCH later.**

**SeleneA: I know I replied to you via PM, but I hope you're happy that you abstained from asking me to give it away… :D Now you'll have to wait to find out WHOSE kid he is roflmao**

**Deva: I'm sure you took your nap before I posted. Hope you dreamed of a green-eyed Vegeta.**

**And I think that's everyone! I hope it is, and if I missed you, I'm sorry! **


	22. Chapter 22

**FINALLY! OMG so many people emailing me… "where's History…? PLEASE update History…?" Hot damn, I didn't know yall liked it that much. In short, I lost use of my computer for several days, so it threw me behind bigtime, and I'm trying to spend more time with my kids. **

**ALSO for you TGS fans… there is a poll on my profile that yall will really be interested in answering… trust me, you want to give me your feedback on this! R&R!**

"Vegeta, my _dear _boy."

The crown prince shivered at the sound of that voice; it felt like bugs were crawling up and down his spine just at the sight of Frieza, but the moment the little freak spoke, it was like someone had thrown a bag of worms into the mix and dumped them in his boots.

When Frieza floated up and towards Vegeta, Usagi darted in front of her future mate and snarled savagely, brandishing her sword, her tail whipping around her violently in her anger. "Don't you dare come any closer to him."

Frieza blinked and just studied her for a moment. "A female Saiyan guard…? I could have sworn I'd wiped out all the females just after the purge." He floated a little closer to her, still studying her carefully, the crown prince completely forgotten.

Usagi held a hand up to stop Vegeta when he growled and tried to jerk her back with his tail. "Stay put, Geta."

Frieza smiled slowly at her words, at the nickname only one person had ever used on the crown prince. "Ah, now I know you." He gave a little bow and a saucy wink before his smile turned into a scary little grin. "The dear little princess, all grown up. My, my. You certainly have turned into _quite_ the dish." He nodded, as if deciding something important. "Yes, you'll do quite nicely in the harem… unless?" His eyes turned to Vegeta, and he studied both of their shoulders in turn. "Oh, don't tell me she's still a virgin after all these years!? Oh, this is too good, Vegeta. Hm, yes… don't worry, my dear little prince, I'll take good care of her for you, since you didn't have the balls to take her yourself. I thought you would have, considering that you only ever used blondes out of the women I provided. Didn't think I'd noticed?"

Ignoring Vegeta's snarl, and the words he was snapping out in Saiyan, Usagi just cocked her head and lifted a golden eyebrow. "Wait… _seriously_? You're shitting me, right?" Usagi waited for Frieza to indicate that he was wondering what in the hell she was talking about. This clearly wasn't the reaction he'd expected out of her. "No… let me get this right. You mean to tell me that all this time, you _weren't_ _gay_? Seriously!? Damn, I guess I lost that bet I made with Raditz when I was eight. And all this time, I had you pegged as a catcher."

Usagi studied her nails when Frieza flew at her at suddenly; she'd totally been expecting it, but she didn't move out of the way, since she had a hunch that—yup.

Trunks was there, beating Frieza back before he could even lay a hand on the Saiyan commander, and Usagi and Vegeta wasted no time in joining in with him, amazed that they were having almost no issues with landing hits on the tyrant at all, and Trunks… gods, he didn't even need any help!

And then he was engulfed in a bright golden light, and Usagi froze, her eyes going wide at the sight of yet another Legendary.

Thankfully for her, Raditz was right behind her, and yanked her down and back when Frieza took advantage of her shock to throw an energy blast directly at her. The attack seemed to incense Trunks further, and he let out a raw cry of anger and rage that would have made Vegeta suspicious if he hadn't been busy pushing past Raditz to check his mate over for any injuries. When they looked up a few moments later, Frieza was cold cuts, and Trunks was panting as he obviously fought his inner beast for control to keep from destroying any allies behind him.

"Is she unharmed!?" He barked at the prince, brandishing his sword at the warriors surrounding King Cold, a silent order to stay the fuck where they were or suffer the consequences.

"She's fine, brat!" Vegeta barked, powering up to his maximum when he saw the warriors outside the ship begin to fly towards them. With a scream of rage, his hand extended and glowed, and a large energy wave engulfed the ship and everyone around it.

Usagi and Raditz gaped for a moment at the sight of the resulting mushroom cloud, but when it cleared, King Cold was still standing there, seemingly amused at their stunned faces.

"NO," Vegeta and Trunks barked at her at the same time, when she tried to dart forward to face their remaining opponent. All three of them blinked at that, apparently it wasn't lost on any of them how much alike they'd sounded. "Raditz," Vegeta snapped, "you just got reinstated. Protect the princess."

Usagi bit back a scathing remark and simply glared at him, her expression telling him exactly how much she hated that title. "I'm fine, Vegeta!" She snarled at him, darting forward with her sword. There was a flash of golden light right in her face, and she squirmed in the arms that caught her when she flew back a hundred feet. "Put me down, Radu," she said warningly, as she watched her mate and the kid dart forward to take out Frieza's father.

"Huh… you'd think they'd fought together before," Raditz grunted, releasing Usagi as he watched the pair fighting King Cold, working very well in tandem, effortlessly keeping out of the other's way while still bringing the pain.

"The boy fights like you," Usagi remarked, noting more than just a few of Raditz's signature moves, the little way that the kid flexed his foot before kicking, just as Raditz always had. "Maybe he's a relative?"

"No, I've never seen him before in my life. And I'd remember a half-breed being in the family if he was mentioned, let alone a Legendary." Raditz grabbed her then and turned them in midair when Vegeta and Trunks released a combined finisher, and took the recoil to his back, shielding her with his body.

"I'm fine!" Usagi snapped. "Gods, Raditz, I'm not going to break!"

"Following orders," he said with a grin. "You'll live… _princess_." Raditz merely laughed when Usagi punched him in the arm hard enough to bruise.

"Don't hit your guard for following orders, woman," Vegeta grunted with a touch of amusement, floating back over to check her for injuries.

Usagi rolled her eyes and simply ignored him, looking behind her mate to the young man, who had reverted to his natural hair and eye color. "Not bad, boy. Who trained you?"

Trunks hesitated for a moment before nodding, as if agreeing with himself that he could tell her that much. "My uncle, mostly. I learned some from my cousins."

"What's your uncle's and cousins' names?"

"Um… sorry," he said lamely, shrugging his shoulders. "So, uh… about how long until Goku arrives?"

Vegeta glanced up at the sun. "About twenty minutes, boy. Why, are you in some sort of hurry to avoid our questions?"

"Yes," he snorted a little indignantly, "I am."

"Geta, leave the boy alone. And brat, be a little more respectful. You sure as hell can't blame us for trying," Usagi chided lightly, smirking at the sight of his sudden blush. She cocked her head as if listening for a moment before flaring her ki in a delicate pattern. "Gohan's getting worried…" Usagi giggled and shook her head. "Your ki is masking ours, brat. Lower it some. He can only sense yours, and he thought you'd killed us all."

"Oh, sorry," Trunks mumbled, immediately doing as he was told.

"Come on," Raditz urged, sensing his mate getting closer. Bulma was likely headed towards the other warriors, and since he'd only just claimed her, having her around all those other males made him antsy.

They let Raditz lead the way to a couple of plateaus, where Usagi explained what was going on and calmed the others' suspicions of Trunks. Hell, he seemed to be a good kid, even if he was way too secretive, and he'd even saved her serious injury from that cheapshot that Frieza had taken.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait too long; the moment Goku and Bardock's kis were felt emerging from the Lookout, every one of them were flaring signals at the pair, telling them to get their asses down there _now_.

Father and son landed after another ten minutes of waiting, striding over side by side; Usagi could tell that they'd gotten in some father-son bonding time, and was very happy that Bardock had gotten the chance to know the son that he'd barely known. She let Raditz explain what was going on when Vegeta took her by the hand and tugged her out of earshot, sitting down a large rock before he brought her down to straddle his lap.

"You ok, Geta?" She asked gently, running her fingers lightly over his jawline.

"You're about to be mad at me," he grunted.

"Dear gods… the last time you started a conversation with that sentence was when you and Tarble painted my armor pink." Usagi growled a little at that memory and rolled her eyes. "Why pink, Gee-Gee? Seriously?"

"We thought you should look the part, since you hit like a girl," he chuckled sheepishly. "We didn't know you didn't have a spare at the moment, or we would have waited a few days."

Usagi leaned in and kissed him when he frowned, obviously thinking about whatever it was that he had to tell her. "A credit for your thoughts, Geta."

"That's three, now," he stated, unable to keep himself from sputtering with a touch of jealously. "Three that have made Legendary before either of us. We're the crown prince and princess of Vegeta-sai, damn it."

"Are you telling me that you want to wait now, after I offered myself?" Usagi mumbled, rolling her eyes as she thumped her forehead dramatically against his armor. "You are such a prick, Geta."

"Kakarot's always spewing garbage about how you have to have a driving need to ascend. Maybe I'll get there through the need to get laid," he half-joked.

"It had better be by tomorrow night, then," she snorted.

"Oh, does somebody want something?" Vegeta teased, nipping at her shoulder almost playfully. He bit back a groan when she rubbed her groin over his and he felt her tail snaking up and down his own. "Woman… don't start something—"

"I can't finish?" Usagi asked. "Because unless I'm mistaken, Geta, you're the one that can't finish, now. I have to admit, I'm tempted as hell just to seduce you now and get what I want." She purred happily when he kissed her then, hot and demanding and raw, holding her tightly to his chest as he let his tail really go to work on hers. "Well, that's more like it," she said breathlessly. "What else can you offer me in exchange for ignoring me to train to Super Saiyan?"

"What do you want?" Vegeta asked seductively as he nibbled at her throat.

"Hm… right now I really wish I had Raditz's negotiation skills… but I think I can come up with something."

###################

Once he'd gotten Goku isolated out of hearing range and tested his power, Trunks relaxed and smiled. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, you may call me Trunks. I come from the future." He informed the older Saiyan of the androids, their strength, and how his parents—the strongest fighters on the planet- had died protecting him as an infant. After adding on the part about Goku's impending death, he waited for the obvious questions.

"Wait, you said your parents both died for you, and that they were the strongest warriors left? Who were they?" He asked curiously.

Trunks blushed a little and glanced over at the gathered warriors waiting patiently. "My real name is actually Vegeta," he finally told him. "Vegeta the fourth. But my Aunt Bulma, when I was a child, nicknamed me Trunks when I told her I wanted an underwear name like her and my cousins, Boxer and Bra. My mother… she's over there with my father right now. My Uncle Raditz told me stories about her when I was growing up, since I was too young to remember her. He said she was a great warrior." He drew his sword and handed it to Goku. "This was hers, then my father's later on."

Goku looked to the hilt of the sword, and sure enough, there was Usagi's glyph. Vegeta III was inscribed just below it, followed by Vegeta IV. "Wow. Vegeta's gonna be a daddy!?" He laughed. He started double-taking between Vegeta and Trunks, a wide grin on his face, before peering closely at Trunks' features. "Vegeta's son… wow! I can totally see the resemblance now, this is so awesome! You have your mother's eyes, too!"

Trunks nodded, a little embarrassed at the attention. ""I'll be born very soon, but now that I'm changing the past, I'm wondering how much I'm going to change inadvertently. My mother won't be one to sit around on the sidelines and bear children."

Goku gaped a little and nodded. "Kami, Trunks, you might never be born in this timeline if your parents…" He looked over at Usagi and Vegeta, who were obviously having a very intense conversation. "And they're still not mated, either. Is there anything I can do?"

Trunks nodded gratefully, pulled out a piece of paper, and wrote a date on it. "They need to be together by this date, or I won't be born."

Goku took the paper, read it, and nearly fell the hell over. "But this is only in a week!" He shouted. He shook his head furiously. "Trunks, I'm sorry, but without telling them, this is going to be impossible!"

"No, Goku, we can't tell them," he said flatly. "My mother is a proud woman, and a warrior first. Now that she's going to be needed to fight off the androids, she'll be averse to conceiving a child, so if we tell her, she'll avoid it at all costs. But there's a chance that it'll happen on its own if we don't say anything."

"I know," Goku agreed. "Which is _why _we need to tell her. She'll likely put off mating _altogether_ with your father to concentrate on training, and knowing Vegeta, he won't push the issue, because he'll whole-heartedly agree... if it wasn't his idea first. They're Saiyan warriors, Trunks. Battle takes precedence over romance any day," he finished dryly. "Trust me, I know. It annoys my mate to no end."

"Fuck," he spat, and glanced over his shoulder at the couple. He blushed a little when his father leaned in to kiss his mother, and couldn't help but sigh a little, wishing that he'd grown up with them. His uncle had told him how much his father had gone through to win the right to claim his mother, and it was amazing for him to actually see them together. "Fine, we'll tell her," he agreed softly. "But just her."

Goku nodded, flaring his ki once to get Usagi and Vegeta's attentions, before pointing at the blonde and beckoning her over. He grinned when Vegeta scowled at him, obviously upset at being interrupted in the wooing of his woman. "Just for a minute!' He shouted over the chasm. "I promise!"

Usagi slipped out of Vegeta's lap with some obvious reluctance, but not before laying a kiss on him that was anything but chaste. She unwrapped her tail from around his and flew over quickly, landing in front of the two Saiyans. Annoyance was stamped across her features as she eyed them. "What, Kakarot."

Both of them had the grace to blush a little at the light scent of her arousal in the air, and Goku cleared his throat before grinning. "Well, maybe we shouldn't have interrupted them after all," he chuckled.

"What is it, Kakarot!?" Usagi snapped, glancing back at Vegeta with a look of longing. Damn it, she wanted him, and she wanted him now!

She growled a little under her breath at that thought, and shook her head. "Just spit it out, already. I want to go blow something up."

"Trunks is a visitor from the future." Goku nodded when Usagi just stared at him in disbelief, and quickly explained about the androids. "Well," he finished, as the blonde was obviously trying to absorb such an incredible story, "Trunks here might not exist in the future without your help."

"And what in the hell could I possibly do—" Her jaw dropped as she suddenly realized why he looked so familiar to her. "Dear gods… you're my _son_, aren't you, boy?" She asked softly. Usagi boldly stepped forward when he blushed and nodded, and pushed the lavender hair gently out of his face. "That's why… gods, you look like your father, boy." A tiny smile played at her lips, and she shook her head. "You've got my eyes, though. Can you heal like me?"

Trunks shook his head. "Regrettably, no. There was no one to teach me after you died… Mother."

It was Usagi's turn to blush as he called her his mother. She sighed wistfully after a few moments, and pulled him to her in a tight embrace, feeling tears prick her eyes when her future son immediately relaxed against her trustingly. "So, that's _my_ sword, isn't it?" She said flatly.

"Yes, Mother," he replied, pulling away from her. He couldn't hold her like that much longer; he'd completely lose his shit if he continued to embrace one of the two people he'd ached to know all his life. Thankfully, Usagi gave him an understanding nod and a pat on the shoulder.

"I'm proud to know that my brat will one day be the Legendary," she said with a grin. "Tell me, boy, have you been inked?"

Trunks beamed proudly and nodded, baring his shoulder to her. "My Uncle Raditz saved all of your drawings, and my cousin Boxer did my tattoo."

Usagi's eyes shone with pride at her design gracing her son's arm, her house symbol surrounded by the glyphs for the Legendary. She chuckled when she saw the glyph for his name. "No wonder you were skittish about giving me your name. Telling me that it was Vegeta would have been a dead giveaway." She stopped tracing it as her eyes lit on another tattoo, partially hidden by his shirt, and she pulled the cloth aside and smiled. "What order do you hold them in, boy?"

Trunks smiled a little sadly and shook his head. "Family, honor, loyalty, duty, strength." He'd been expecting her to laugh at him and call him an idiot, but tears leapt to his eyes as she immediately hugged him tightly.

"That's my boy," she said softly and proudly. "Don't you ever forget that order. And tell your Uncle Raditz that I said to take a flying fucking leap if he ever gives you shit about it. Understand?"

Trunks nodded, blinking away his tears as they separated. "Him and Aunt Bulma both told me to send you their love, if I was forced to tell you who I was. Uncle Raditz, he misses the both of you an awful lot, though he tries his best to hide it."

"He's my best friend, really. Besides your father." Usagi smiled, quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Enough of the sissy emotional shit, boy," she teased lightly. "You need to be conceived, right?" She sighed and shook her head, looking back at her future mate. "Your father just informed me that he wants to wait until he's achieved Super Saiyan." She frowned at the admission and shook her head in frustration.

Trunks groaned as he told her that she had a week. "I know, that's going to be impossible, right?" His face turned bright red and he coughed a little. "Mother, I think you're going to have to seduce him."

It was Usagi's turn to blush, and she shook her head vigorously. "It's not done, Tru—Vege—ugh, there's no way I can call you that. _Boy._ Anyways, the woman does not seduce the man, not when they aren't mated already. It doesn't work that way. I can offer myself, that's about it, but your father's already made up his mind. And your father… gods, he's the most stubborn Saiyan in the universe," she snorted.

The princess finally sighed. "Don't worry, though, boy. It'll work out, I'm sure." She looked up and grinned, rolling her eyes, when Vegeta flared his ki at her impatiently. She flared hers back at him, pulsing it in a way that told him to shut the fuck up and keep his damned boots on.

"Hurry UP, woman!" He roared over the distance between them.

"Fucking MAKE me!" She flung back at him, followed by a string of curses in Saiyan that made her son's eyes pop. "Gods, that man is so fucking impatient!" She snarled, stomping her foot. She turned her ire on her son and glared at him. "If you ever become half as annoying as him, brat, I'll smother you in your sleep!"

Trunks snorted and shrugged. "I'll try not to be too much of a pain, Mother," he laughed. He froze in place when his father touched down and snagged his mother around the waist with his tail.

"Careful what you ask for, woman," Vegeta purred in her ear. He looked up at the lavender-haired boy and snarled. "And if you ever presume to touch my mate again, boy, I'll rip your fucking hand off." He growled when Trunks began to laugh. "What, brat, you think this is funny!?" He yelled. The only thing that stopped him from attacking was the sound of Usagi's laughter joining in.

"Geta, he's _not _a threat to you, trust me," she giggled, leaning back against his solid chest.

"I have no interest in your mate," Trunks said firmly, unable to hide his smile. "I merely wanted to talk to her. I've grown up on stories about the two of you, so… I was a little curious."

"So, you do come from Vegeta-sai," the prince said flatly.

"More or less," he answered cryptically. "I've already said too much." He tipped his head to Usagi, his eyes shining with emotion. "It was an honor to meet you. To meet you both," he amended.

She frowned, her own eyes the only betraying feature of her face, as she slipped her mask of Saiyan emotionless into place. "I'll see you again… soon, boy. That's a promise." She poked Vegeta in the hip with her elbow. "Come on, Geta, you and I need to talk."

"What did he say to you, woman?" Vegeta asked, as they landed back at Capsule Corp.

"There's an attack coming, in a year, and we have to prepare," she answered with a frown. "These androids, they're even stronger than that boy, and he came to warn us."

"What!? Stronger than him? But he's a Super Saiyan!" Vegeta said in disbelief. "How are we supposed to get stronger than him in only a year!?"

Usagi shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted worriedly. "The first step, though, is to make Legendary." An idea occurred to her, and she looked up at him, her eyes shining. "Kakarot told me that he ascended not just out of need, but because he was capable of love. If you and I just complete the pair-bond, maybe…."

Vegeta simply stared at her, and finally shook his head. "A true Saiyan warrior doesn't feel those pitiful human emotions, Usagi." He regretted his words when her eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and pain, but this was necessary. He'd push her away a little for now so he could achieve Super Saiyan, then he'd apologize and make it right. "I care for you, woman," he amended. "I always have. But I'm not capable of that word."

"Yes, you are, Vegeta," she said flatly. "If I am, then you are too."

"You…?" Vegeta just stared at her, not sure how to take her round-about admittance of feeling love. Love for him, if he took her meaning the way he thought she meant it. Sure, she'd admitted it in the their dream room, but so had he… and while he did feel that way for her, the confession had been more of a heat of the moment thing for him. He'd meant it, but he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"Don't expect me to say it, but yes. I always have, I just didn't realize that it was more than something I'd feel for a friend until I realized that it was you in the dreams," she sighed. "But you say you don't," she said flatly, no longer able to hide her hurt and disappointment. "Which means you lied to me in the dreams, Vegeta. I'm going to go train," she added coldly. "Just leave me alone for a while."

Usagi gently pushed him away when he tried to wrap his tail around her and pull her against him. His plan just wasn't going to work; she was on the verge of crying, and despite his desire to get a little distance, just for a few more weeks, he knew she was right. He did love her. Gods, why was he such a fucking idiot!? "Usa, I—"

"No, Highness, I think you've said enough. Leave me alone," she ordered, her voice thick with tears. She easily slipped out of his grasp and took off at full speed, not quite sure where she was headed.

#################

Usagi leaned back into the spray when she felt tears slipping down her cheeks yet again. Fucking prick. Even sparring all-out with Kakarot for the last seven hours hadn't worn her out enough to keep her from caring. At least she'd gotten a good workout, and Kakarot had gotten to use a strong Saiyan as a punching bag.

One week. She started crying all over again. "I'm sorry, boy," she whispered, "but I'm not mating with a man that'll just lie to me like that."

She blanked out for a long time, crying over the unfairness of it all, until a knock at the shower door made her jump. "What?" She snapped, her voice choked.

"Just checking on you, Usa."

She sighed with relief to hear Raditz's voice and not Vegeta's. Always the faithful nightguard, even when he was technically no longer required. "I'm fine, Radu."

"You don't sound fine," he replied, his voice heavy with worry.

"No," she admitted, "I'm not. But I will be." Usagi cut off the water and grabbed a towel from the dry side of the large shower, wrapping it around herself as she used her ki to dry her hair and skin.

Raditz grunted at the sight of her, a little banged up physically, and more than just a little bit emotionally. "I should beat his ass for making you cry."

"No, Radu, I… I'm just mad at him."

"You were always a horrible liar, Usagi. He hurt you. You've never cried from being angry, so don't lie to me again. What did he say?" Raditz sighed when she shook her head in refusal. If Usagi of all people wasn't talking about something, it had to be bad. "He is such a fucking assclown."

"I won't disagree with you there. And while I appreciate you checking on me, Radu, you should be spending time with your mate. And I need to dress." She led them out of the bathroom and grabbed a t-shirt and underwear out of the dresser, shooing him out the door.

"I'll go talk to him," Raditz offered.

"Suit yourself, Radu. I'm through talking with him. I don't even want to look at him."

Usagi closed the door and locked it before dressing for bed. The lock wouldn't do jack to stop Vegeta if he got it in his head to enter the room, but it would serve as a silent message to leave her the hell alone if he knew what was good for him. "I sure hope you're right, Kakarot."

Goku had wanted to know what was wrong in exchange for sparring with her, and she'd confided in him. He'd assured her that Vegeta did, in fact, love her. Only, the sudden threat and the need to prove himself as a capable mate were overriding his desire to mate, and as soon as he felt worthy of her, he would come crawling back and apologize.

That made it easier to think of forgiving him, except for his flat contempt for that particular emotion... which to her, meant that he held only contempt for her feelings. It made her feel like he'd just stomped on her heart.

################

Bulma sighed happily as she was awakened by the feel of large, calloused hands smoothing her nightie up her body, pausing in the process of disrobing her as they reached her breasts, where they began to stroke her softly. She let out a gasp of pleasure at the feel of something hot and wet closing over a nipple and suckling her slowly.

"Raditz," she whispered, her sleepy voice laced with acceptance and desire. "Mmm." Her hands tangled in his hair, and she held him to her as he moved his mouth to her other breast, trailing his tongue lightly over her skin on its way, while his hands stroked her delicately, memorizing every spot that had her gasping with delight.

Once he'd released her nipple, Bulma drug him up to her mouth, moaning as his tongue danced with hers. God, who knew that any man could feel this wonderful? His hands were still exploring her, lighting her on fire, making her ache to join her body with his. She moved her hips against her Saiyan lover, telling him silently what she wanted.

She could feel his need through the bond, too, his desire to prepare her, but his need at the moment outweighed anything else. She whimpered with a mix of pain and pleasure as he wasted no time in claiming her, filling her so quickly that she thought she was going to rip in half. God, she couldn't imagine how much it would have hurt if she hadn't been wet.

"Gods, woman, you're so tight," Raditz growled in her ear, sliding out of her and thrusting forward. "So tight that it hurts a little," he continued, moving a little harder when her hips suddenly rocked against him and she moaned in his ear. "That's right, come for me," he urged, "as much as you want, woman. I want you to know nothing but pleasure when you're in my arms."

"I love you, Raditz," she breathed, arching her back as she shattered, crying out loudly as he thrust into her deeper. "I want you to come with me."

"Gods, woman." His chin lifted as her mouth began to caress the spot on his neck that drove him crazy, before trailing to his shoulder to bite down savagely. Well, it was pretty savage for a human, anyway. "Beloved," he moaned, his hips moving harder as he felt himself closing in on his ecstasy.

"That's right," Bulma whispered against him, "I want you to feel good, too, Raditz." Despite the fact that it still hurt, she moved her hips against him just as roughly, meeting him thrust for thrust.

"No," Raditz growled, suddenly rolling them so that she was on top. "Not yet, woman."

"But—"

"No 'buts,' woman. I'm hurting you, I can feel it." The Saiyan yanked her nightie over her head and tossed it to the floor before taking her hips in his hands and moving inside of her once more. This time it was slow and careful, and he let her take over when she began to move in unison with him. "As much as I liked it, I won't take you like that if it's going to hurt you," he told her firmly. And gods, it had felt so good, it had felt better than anything he'd ever experienced, to simply claim her with the primal need of a Saiyan warrior.

But she was a human, and he simply couldn't do that with her unless he was willing to hurt her. "How does it feel now?"

Bulma was riding him slowly, her head thrown back in rapture at the sensation of being completely filled by him. "You feel wonderful, Raditz," she sighed softly. "I'm sorry I'm so weak, I want you to enjoy me as much as I do you."

Raditz suddenly had an idea, and raised his hand to cup her breast. "You sure about that? Gods, woman, you like it rough," he teased. When she nodded and gave a sexy little moan, he pushed some of his ki into her, and rolled them once again, thrusting into her roughly.

Bulma gave a sharp cry of pleasure, gripping his back tightly as he began to pound into her fiercely. "Oh, God… Raditz! Harder!" She yelled, hanging onto him for dear life as she came harder than she'd ever thought possible.

While he was tempted to follow her over the edge, he hung on long enough to make her scream his name again. Feeling her tighten around him, he finally let go, moaning her name before biting down on her mating mark.

Bulma opened her eyes to find her mate grinning down at her with unsuppressed mirth, and she chuckled at the sight of her shaking hand as she smoothed his hair away from his face. "That felt… wow," she finished, unable to find the words.

"I gave you some of my energy," he explained, hearing her wondering in her mind how in the hell she'd managed to withstand such a pounding from a Saiyan warrior. "It toughened you up a little so I wouldn't hurt you. I can do it as often as you'd like, Bulma," he added, when she thought the question. "It'll last a few hours."

"Good," she whispered, raising her hips, "because I want it again."

"Hm, and what do I get, woman?" He teased, feeling himself harden at the prospect of taking her again, hard and rough and screaming.

"What do you want?" She asked seductively, smirking at the way he suddenly thrust forward when her hand found his tail and rubbed it.

"Give me a son, Bulma, and I'll give you anything you could ever want," he replied hoarsely.

"What if I think about it?" Chi-Chi had already warned her to hide her birth control, which she'd done the day before, since she knew for a fact that she was going to be fertile in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. At least if she said yes and stopped taking her pills, she wouldn't have to worry about a crazy Raditz pinning her to the bed for three or four days, trying his damnedest to knock her up. But then again, a crazy Raditz pinning her to the bed for several days wasn't the worst thing she could think of, either, she thought gleefully.

She whimpered as his hand slipped between them and he stroked her slowly. "Stop that, or I'm going to… mmm… can't think when you're…"

"It wasn't a no, so I suppose I'll accept your answer. For now," he chuckled, as he felt her tighten around him again and she cried out softly, raking her nails down the cheeks of his firm backside. "Now, woman. How do you want me?" He purred in her ear, flicking his tongue against the lobe.

"Screaming," Bulma growled, taking one of his flat nipples between her teeth and biting down just hard enough to make him gasp.

"You, make _me_ scream?" He chuckled. "I highly doubt you'd be up to the task." He thrust inside of her then, hard and mercilessly, making her head tip back in ecstasy. "Making _you_ scream, though, isn't much of a challenge, woman."

Bulma raised her head and bit down on his shoulder as hard as she could, making him cry out in a mixture of pain and pleasure. The sight of his blood quickly welling up made her eyes widen in dismay. "Oh, God, Raditz. I'm so sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't realize I'd be that strong!"

He pushed her back down when she tried to slide out to get a bandage and moved roughly, taking her over the edge yet again. "That's the way you should have bitten me to begin with," he growled. "Now it's your turn."

She moaned as his mouth moved slowly over her shoulder, its gentleness completely at odds with the way he was pounding into her. And just as she cried out his name, he bit down mercilessly, his teeth sinking into her pale shoulder. It hurt, but behind it was a wave of euphoria, and the sensation of his mind entwining with her own. "I love you," she whispered.

His movements suddenly gentled, and he kissed her tenderly. "My Bulma," he whispered. "My beloved."

It was over two hours before Bulma finally made Raditz scream, but she grinned in triumph when it happened in the shower, while she utilized her superior brain to deduce that his tail and his mark, combined with making love, would likely be her best shot at getting the desired reaction out of him. And how she'd been right; the moment she'd taken his tail in her mouth and started tracing his mark with her nails, he had yelled in surprise and pleasure, immediately finding his release.

"Told you so."

Raditz nodded weakly, resting his forehead on the shower wall while he tried to find his breath and his balance. "Woman, I damn near passed out. Don't do that again… at least not when I'm standing. I could have fallen on you, and you would've gotten hurt."

"Totally worth it if I'd actually made you pass out," she said tartly, slapping his ass as she exited the shower. "Though it would have been a bit embarrassing, having to call Vegeta or your father to roll you off of me," she giggled.

"Wouldn't be the first time they've had to roll me off of a satisfied woman," he teased, laughing when she punched him in the stomach.

#########################

She woke as usual, after only three hours of sleep, and while she stubbornly stayed in her room for another two hours, she was simply too exhausted to fight the need for sleep anymore, and slipped into Vegeta's pitch-black room.

Usagi was surprised to find the bed neatly made, and Vegeta gone, and while part of her was glad she wouldn't have to take a shot to her pride by coming to him in the middle of the night, most of her was worried. She scanned the area for his ki, and unable to find it, she turned on the light.

A note was lying on the bed, written in Saiyan glyphs, and while it was very short, it filled her with warmth.

_Woman, I've gone to the Time Chamber to train. I will return when I'm worthy of you._

Usagi folded the note carefully, and tucked it into her travelling bag as she got dressed. It had been signed with the single glyph for "mate," so she understood that his second line had been intended to tell her that he would return when he was worthy of her love. "Damn it, Vegeta, you've always known how to say you're sorry without actually saying it," she grumbled.

She strapped on her sword, pulled on her boots, and took off from her balcony to head to the time chamber entrance to wait for him. It was a long trip, and she was surprised to find Piccolo waiting, as if he'd expected her. "When did he go in?"

"While you were sparring with Goku. He's been in there for about twelve hours." He hesitated before asking what had been bothering him all night. "I've never seen Vegeta upset before. What happened?"

Usagi shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it. He was a jackass, and while I'm surprised he's feeling sore about it, I'm glad. Twelve hours is what, six months in there?"

Piccolo nodded, choosing not to comment on the change of subject.

"And how long is he staying in?"

"I asked him the same thing," Piccolo growled. "He just told me that you'd probably show up, and he wanted me to tell you not to enter the chamber. He said he'd come out sooner or later." He studied her carefully. "Hopefully it won't be a whole week?"

Usagi's head snapped around so fast that it hurt a little. "What… you—_how!?_" She yelled in surprise.

"Namekian hearing," he answered smugly. "Don't worry, your secret's safe. I didn't tell him." He smirked when she visibly relaxed and slid to the ground, leaning against the door of the Time Chamber. "I'm not surprised that you two produced such strong offspring. You must be proud."

Usagi nodded, returning the smirk. "He's a true son of Vegeta-sai. Poor boy," she added, after a moment of silence. "To not know your parents like that, to lose them so young. I'm glad he got to tell me who he was. I'm glad that he finally got to be held by his mother after so many years without her."

"You're awfully strange for a Saiyan," Piccolo observed.

"Demi-Saiyan. And no, I'm not that strange. Raditz feels strong emotions too; he just does a better job at hiding it than I do."

"The way I've always understood it, Usagi, is that a Saiyan male can't mate with a female unless he _does_ feel strongly for her." He smirked again when she glared at him. "Vegeta feels _very _strongly for you."

Usagi rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Namek, I'm not discussing mating with a creature that can't even have sex."

"Touché."

Usagi squeaked and jumped a mile high when the door behind her thumped and pushed against her back. She rolled and leapt to her feet, trying to control her breathing—it was out of control from having the shit scared out of her.

Vegeta simply looked at her as he swung the door open, drinking in the sight of her like she was a glass of cold water, and he a man dying of thirst. "Usa," he whispered.

"Geta," she answered curtly.

"I haven't seen you in seven months, and you're going to take that tone with me?" He growled softly.

"I haven't seen you in about fifteen hours, so yes, I am," she replied just as softly. She looked over at Piccolo and wished that the damned Namek would go away and give her some damned privacy with this infuriating male, but he simply smirked back at her, making it clear that he wasn't going anywhere.

Thankfully he'd anticipated this. "You got my note?"

"Yes, I did… are you…?" Usagi looked over her shoulder and glared at Piccolo. "Do you mind, Namek?"

Piccolo grinned. "Usagi, if you want privacy, just go into the Time Chamber. It's not like you'll be gone but for a few moments on this end, even if you take a few hours in there," he advised.

Usagi shook her head and rolled her eyes when she understood his meaning about "a few hours." "You must think pretty highly of Vegeta if you think it'd take _that _long."

Vegeta simply smirked at that. "It'll take longer than that if I get my way. Come on, I want to show you something, anyway," he added seriously, holding out his hand to her.

Usagi scooped up her bag from the floor, and took his hand in perfect trust. "Fine. We can't talk in this room anyways. Its ears are too damned big." She slammed the door of the Time Chamber behind her forcefully, hoping that those sensitive Namekian ears were ringing from the noise. "Fucking Piccolo, and his big fucking ears," she grumbled.

Vegeta chuckled. "What did he hear, I wonder? I tried to get it out of him, but he wasn't budging on his promise to Kakarot."

"And neither am I. I gave that boy my word of honor that I wouldn't say anything." Usagi sighed a little when Vegeta frowned at her. "Sorry, Geta, but you know I can't."

"I know." He eyed her again, like he had the first moment he'd laid eyes on her after exiting the Time Chamber. "Kami, woman, I missed you," he admitted softly.

Usagi made a surprised noise when he suddenly drew her into his arms. Was the Saiyan Prince…hugging her? Well, ok, he was sniffing her neck, too, but that was to be expected. "As I was saying a minute ago, I got your note."

"I believe I am now worthy of you," he breathed into her ear, lowering his mouth to nibble at her neck.

Usagi felt his ki suddenly begin to sky-rocket, and wondered what in the hell he was doing. She pulled back a little to look at him, but he was only smirking at her, his eyes filled with pride. Suddenly there was a flash of golden light, engulfing the both of them, and she found herself looking into the eyes of her green-eyed warrior.

Vegeta simply stared at her shocked expression, her mouth hanging wide open at the sight of him. "And for once in your life, you've actually stopped talking. This is a days of days, woman."

Usagi's mouth snapped shut, and she glared at him for a solid moment. "And here I was, about to tell you how proud I am of you, and you had to go and be an asshole."

"Only so you'd stop looking like you were about to bow down to me," he snickered.

"Bow? To you?" Usagi laughed hysterically at that. Bow, no. Jump him and fuck him senseless, yes. "The day I bow to you, Prince Vegeta, is the day I'm no longer a Saiyan woman," she told him with a savage grin.

Good, because Vegeta didn't want it any other way. He moved to let her get past him when she made it obvious that she wanted him to. "And just where do you think you're going, woman?"

Usagi threw her bag on the bed, followed by her scouter, and shrugged as if she couldn't feel his eyes undressing her. "This is a place for training, right? Let's train."

"Woman, the last thing on my mind right now is _training_," he said flatly, stalking slowly towards her. Shit, that was all he'd done for seven months, while he'd been plagued with thoughts of nothing but her. Those thoughts were what had finally pushed him over the edge, only two weeks ago. In a moment of despair for his lack of progress, he'd worried about being able to protect her from the coming threat, and had suddenly found himself filled with a power that he'd only been able to envy whenever he'd seen Kakarot and his father.

Vegeta had wanted to open the door to the chamber right then and embrace her, tell her of how his feelings for her had finally given him the edge he'd been trying to claim for years. But he'd stayed where he was instead, making sure that he could consistently ascend, increasing his power level even more as he trained for sixteen hours each day.

Usagi smiled, a genuine smile that she rarely gave anyone but him, and floated over into the training area. "You said you're worthy of me. Prove it."

Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Vegeta's lips twitched up into his trademark smirk. Because if she wasn't saying what he thought she was saying, she'd better voice it quickly, before he interpreted it that way.

"Scared of a woman, Prince Vegeta?" She teased, her crystal blue eyes returning that heavy green gaze. They didn't break eye contact as he floated out to join her, his arms folded across his chest patiently. Usagi slowly drew her sword, and took a fighting stance. Her tongue darted out for a moment to wet her suddenly dry lips.

Vegeta smirked as her mouth opened to nervously state the words he'd been waiting to hear, words that would initiate a Saiyan tradition that was almost as old as chasing. "If you want me, Geta, then take me," she said roughly. "If you can."

**Well, so I'm sure we all know what's—who's coming in the next chapter, lol. And you finally know Trunks's origins, yay! I'm sure most of you got it right, more or less. So, with that, updates will come slower because I'm trying to spend more time with my family and less time sitting on my ass in front of the stupid box. AND! For you TGS fans! There is a poll on my profile, PLEASE hit it and let me know what you want me to do with a TGS AU that I've written!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Continued straight from the last chapter… the one you've ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! Without further ado…**

_Last chapter…_

_Vegeta smirked as her mouth opened to nervously state the words he'd been waiting to hear, words that would initiate a Saiyan tradition that was almost as old as chasing. "If you want me, Geta, then take me," she said roughly. "If you can."_

Usagi jumped when he suddenly disappeared from her view in a golden blur, and cast around mentally, searching for his ki. She swung around with her sword when she suddenly sensed a flicker of it, and growled when he grabbed the blade and jerked it out of her grasp. He caught her fist easily with his free hand when she tried to punch him, and flung her down effortlessly, chuckling as she raised her ki quickly to her peak and flew at him.

She felt her sword click into the sheath on her back, and insulted by his teasing, she spun around, only to kick at empty air. "Are you going to fight me, or play?" She snapped impatiently.

Vegeta grinned from behind her and raked his teeth over her shoulder, sending a shiver of delight down her spine. "You're the one that wanted to fight, woman. I would much rather play."

Usagi's fist clenched, but she hesitated when his fingertips trailed down the center of her back to brush against the base of her tail. "Geta?" She whispered.

"Hm?" He ran his tongue along her earlobe before biting down on it gently. "Do you yield, Usa?"

"Mmm… nope. Not _yet_ anyway," she added with a husky growl. Sighing, she leaned back against his solid chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed his hips against her backside. There was no mistaking his need for her, and she nearly caved as she thought about all the dreams she'd had of him when he'd come up behind her in the same manner. Usagi purred with delight when his mouth clamped down on her shoulder, but her ki was too high for him to so easily break the skin. Grinning, she grabbed his arm, turned swiftly, and flipped him down onto his back. She followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks, but they were all easily blocked.

Their positions were suddenly reversed as Vegeta grabbed her by the leg and drug her down, positioning himself over her and yanking her tightly against him. His hands pinned her arms behind her head when she tried to shove him off of her, and knowing she would try to bite down on his tongue if he kissed her, his mouth went to her throat instead.

Usagi bucked against him instinctively, trying to get away, when his lips gently ran over her collarbone, followed by his teeth, which came to rest on her shoulder. "Geta," she whimpered, when he bit down lightly, not even hard enough to bruise.

"Lower your ki," he ordered softly. "You're mine, Usa. Finally mine."

She gave a token struggle, but finding herself firmly pinned beneath him, staring into those hypnotizing green eyes, she did as she was told, and moaned in surrender as his teeth sank into her shoulder. He lapped at the blood before sucking on the mark, the sensation fully unleashing those damnable Saiyan hormones inside of her, and her legs went around his waist as she rocked her hips upwards. "Take what's yours, Vegeta."

"Mine," he growled savagely, thrusting against her, the motion only a preview of what was about to come.

His. She was finally his. Sixteen years of burning for this woman, and he finally had her beneath him, aroused and willing. He kissed her fiercely, his hands releasing her wrists to tug at the hem of her shirt, but he finally just tore it from her impatiently as her arms and tail went around him.

"Bed," she moaned, when his mouth moved to her breast, suckling her slowly. She felt them moving quickly back into the living quarters as his mouth continued to lavish her breasts with attention, and the moment she felt the mattress beneath her, she was pulling desperately at his armor.

The last seven months, he had been planning on how he would slowly bring her to climax, over and over again, crying out his name as she had in their dreams before he finally took her. But all of those intentions went right out the window when her hand found his tail and began to run through the fur. The sudden tidal wave of pleasure had him grasping at the clothing between them, jerking it off in a frenzy to feel her bare skin against his. "Usagi," he groaned into her mouth, as her legs locked around him again the moment they were both bare.

"I need you," she whimpered. "Need you _now_. Please, Geta, claim me."

"No… I wanted to… Kami, woman…" Her hand had released his tail, only to move between his legs and guide him to her entrance. "I wanted to prepare you," he whispered against her mouth, trembling a little at the sensation of her hand touching him below the waist. "So it wouldn't hurt a lot."

Her eyes fluttered shut as he pressed forward and entered her. "I need you now, Geta."

Burning with need as much as she, he thrust forward with a grunt, feeling her ki rise to block out the pain of his invasion. Vegeta lowered his ki when he felt her teeth scraping against his shoulder, and was overwhelmed with the pleasure of being inside of her as the golden aura around him faded and his hair and eyes reverted to jet, his high ki no longer desensitizing him.

He withdrew and thrust into her deeply, moaning as her teeth clamped down mercilessly on his shoulder, validating his claim. Vegeta suddenly felt her pain through the brand-new bond, and growled with frustration. "It's ok, Geta," she whispered softly. Surely he could feel how complete she felt, behind that ache between her legs. Couldn't he? That in itself totally overrode any discomfort she felt; the crazy hormones that had been out of control since she was sixteen were finally settling down, the Saiyan half of her finally satisfied.

"I feel just as whole as you do," he whispered, "but I want you screaming my name," he added with a sexy growl.

"Then you'd better start moving," she advised, raising her hips. Usagi bit back on a flash of pain when he did as she asked, but continued to move against him encouragingly, wanting him to fully enjoy what he'd craved for so long. She'd get hers later, if she didn't get it this first time. But Vegeta had other ideas, and she suddenly moaned when his hand slipped between them to stroke her, and his tail wrapped around hers, squeezing it gently as it snaked its way up and down the silver fur.

Vegeta bit down on her breast lightly as she sighed his name with desire at a sudden wave of pleasure. "That's it, woman. You belong to me, now."

"I'm yours, Vegeta, completely yours," she purred rapturously, as the pleasure slowly began to intensify. "You feel so good, Geta." Usagi pulled him down for a kiss, moving a little harder, telling him what she wanted with her hips. "You feel so _right_."

He moved inside of her harder, drinking in a moan from her throat as he kissed her furiously, skillfully moving his fingers between them. He felt her tighten around him suddenly, her hands clinging to his broad back desperately as she cried out against him in ecstasy.

Vegeta let go then, no longer able to hold out, burying himself inside of her over and over as he came with her, his voice rising to join hers in his triumph.

Usagi bit down on his shoulder as they lay there in the afterglow, and lapped at the hint of blood that welled up from it.

"Mmm… woman, you ready for another round?" Vegeta purred pleasantly, giving her mating mark the same treatment.

Usagi gasped as his tongue lazily swirled over the bite, and used her abdominal muscles to squeeze his length gently. Gods, she was already aroused again, aching for him to claim her, hard and fast. "Fucking Saiyan hormones. I thought they were happy at first, but right now it's like I'm sixteen again and horny **all the time**."

Still hard and more than happy to oblige, Vegeta withdrew, then surged forward, grasping her hips for leverage. "Is that what you need, Usa?"

"Uh-huh," she replied weakly, arching her hips to meet him for every thrust as he set up a rhythm, pulling out of her nearly all the way before slamming back inside of her with enough force to make her yell. "Don't stop!" She begged, "please don't stop, Geta; you feel so fucking good!"

"Never," he said hoarsely, taking a nipple between his teeth and biting down gently. "You're mine, Usagi," he growled possessively, the demand in his voice making her moan. "And I want you to come for me until you're shaking."

"You too," she ordered, a hitch in her voice as she shattered and pulled him tightly against her. He was moving slower now, gentler, kissing her tenderly as she whimpered and hung onto him for dear life. "I love you, Vegeta."

If he hadn't been a Saiyan, he wouldn't have heard those barely whispered words, and the way they warmed him surprised him. After all, Saiyans never said those words. Ever. And to him, the dreams didn't count; he hadn't actually said them out loud and awake. But she had, and it only made him want to do something to make her say them again. He wrapped his arms around her then to pull her tightly against him, allowing him to fully penetrate her.

Usagi felt the emotion pouring out of him into her through their bond, and it only made her want him even more, despite the fact that he was already taking her up once again to cry out his name. Her legs trembled around his waist, and she squeezed his tail with her own as she bit down on his shoulder yet again. "Take me how you've wanted to for all these years, Geta," she purred against him.

"Kami, woman, are you sure about that?" He groaned when she nodded, and kissed her ferociously, raising his ki as he slammed into her, claiming her in full Saiyan fashion, unrestrained and bordering on violent.

"Geta, oh gods!" She yelled, as she came again in an equal mixture of pleasure and pain. Her ki rose to match his, but not to be outdone, he rose his again, and they found themselves waging a battle for dominance even as they moaned each other's names and closed in on their zenith.

Vegeta was suddenly surrounded by a golden aura as he ascended to stay above her power level, and if he hadn't been so caught up in his total possession of her, he would have been amazed to feel her strength climbing as well in an effort to match his. She was almost there, crying out in her ecstasy as she felt a rush go through her, not only physical, but mental as well, as they came together and collapsed onto the bed. "Sweet Kami, woman, what in the hell was that?" Vegeta slurred against her neck.

"Not a clue, but it was… intense," she replied.

"That word does _not _do it justice. Not even close." His arms shook a little as he rose up to look at her, and found himself gazing at a vision bathed in silver. Vegeta began howling with laughter, and when she looked at him like he'd gone insane, he lifted a handful of soft, silver hair and held it in front of her eyes. "I guess that answers Kakarot's stupid question about what color your hair would be."

"What are you—did I just ascend while we were mating?" She asked incredulously. Well, that explained the laughter, because she was giggling right along with him in a matter of moments. Gods, no wonder they managed to make such a strong—she stopped that thought in its tracks when she felt his mind joined with hers.

"Huh, what was that thought, woman?" Vegeta teased, finding it almost cute that she was trying to hide something from him.

"I'll tell you eventually," she promised, running her fingers through his golden hair. "I promised the boy I wouldn't, and I won't break faith with him." Usagi sighed unhappily when he frowned; she didn't want to hide anything from him, that's not what mates did. "I swear, Vegeta, I'll tell you. Just not yet, alright? I don't want to keep secrets any more than you want me to."

The prince finally nodded and sighed. "I won't make you betray your honor, Usa." He kissed her gently then, bathing in the warm healing glow of her ki.

Usagi giggled again, marveling at her hair. "I seriously can't fucking believe that I just ascended. Geta, we're Legendary. We _**did **_it," she said in soft wonder.

Vegeta gazed down at his mate, his pride for her shining in his eyes. A playful grin lit up his features, though. "I'm still stronger than you, woman."

"Well, duh, you had seven fucking months of training that I didn't get!" She snorted. Usagi started to drop her ki level, but stopped abruptly when Vegeta shook his head and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"No, you need to stay that way as long as possible, trust me. Then it will be easier when you try to do it again. Just concentrate on the way it feels right now, so you'll know how to find it later."

She laughed and shook her head, before boldly examining him. "I'm pretty sure I know how to find it again, Geta."

"Yes, and while I'm sure we would put on quite a show, I don't think the rest of the warriors would appreciate us mating during a battle." He grinned and chuckled when she blushed and rolled her eyes at him, picking herself up off the bed to throw on some clothes. His eyes followed her movements, and he found himself growing aroused from just watching her.

"I told you so, you know. Kakarot was right about love being a key to ascending," she teased, and wasn't surprised to hear him simply snort and grumbled something about 'that fucking Kakarot.' Usagi smirked and threw her tank top in the trash; there was nothing she could do to repair the shredded material. She dug in her pack to pull out a new one, but her hand fell on a bundle of leather and she smiled at the feel of it.

"What, woman?" Vegeta asked, at the sight of that soft, proud, loving look she was giving him.

"Prince Vegeta, it would be my greatest honor to give you your mark of the Saiyan Army," she said solemnly.

"You have your kit, Commander?" He replied just as formally, waving her over to him. The formality was lost for a moment when a topless Usagi sat beside him on the rumpled bedspread and kissed him with barely restrained passion.

Usagi unwrapped her tools and got to work, only stopping for a moment to stroke his bare shoulder with a kind of reverence before she began the outline. She chuckled then, as her needle bounced right off of his skin. "If you'd liked to be inked, Your Highness, you may want to lower your ki," she advised dryly.

Vegeta snorted at that, and his hair and eyes reverted to black. He watched her quietly as she began again, the eyes on his shoulder a shining mixture of silver and green. He swelled with pride at the sight of his house tattoo, being surrounded with the glyphs and the graywash design that marked him as a Legendary. Her hand was moving faster and with a lot more confidence than it had when she'd done Kakarot's full tattoo, and in his opinion, his looked a hell of a lot better.

He grinned when she suddenly stopped and kissed him; he knew exactly what was coming next. "Are you going to mark me as mated or not, woman?" He asked when her mouth trailed a path down his throat.

"Impatient, aren't we, Highness?" She teased, and resumed her work, slowly and carefully adding the glyph to the pattern, right next to his rank of prince. She continued on, though, when he thought that was it, and proceeded to also mark him as the First of the Saiyan Elite.

"No, woman," he said gently. "I won't take something that you rightfully earned."

Usagi shook her head. "No, Highness. You could beat me in a fair fight, now. My sword is yours."

"I decline your sword. I accept the position, however, and make you the acting First in my stead. I'm the Prince of Vegeta-sai, and have too many royal duties to be bothered with the responsibility," he stated diplomatically.

"Too many duties, my ass," she huffed. "You always were a bad liar, Vegeta." She gave him a tiny smirk, though, as she continued to ink him. "I accept your offer as acting First, and swear my allegiance to you now and forever, Highness."

Vegeta grinned at the sight of her handiwork when she was finally finished, and kissed her firmly. "Thank you, Usa."

"Don't thank me, Prince Vegeta," she said seriously, solemnly. "You earned every drop of this ink. Every line, every glyph. Never forget who you are, or the people you come from. And if you do find yourself forgetting, or lost, you only have to look at this badge of honor to remind yourself of your purpose."

He nodded at her words, hearing the weight in her voice as she looked him in the eye and spoke them. "You're not done with me yet, Usa." He pointed at his chest. "Right here, woman. Over my heart."

"What do you want drawn?" She asked curiously.

"The answer to your question. Family. Honor. Strength. Loyalty. Duty." He trailed the back of his hand down her cheek as he recited the words, hoping that she was paying attention to their bond so that she could feel how much he felt for her. She was his family, now, and everything else in the universe could take a flying fuck. Including his honor.

_I love you. _He felt it through their bond, and nodded as he softly kissed her. Vegeta couldn't say it, and would likely never be able to say it, but he prayed that she knew he felt the same way.

"I do," she whispered, a smile playing at her lips. "And you don't have to say it, Geta. Knowing is enough for me. Now, hold still, because chest ink hurts like a bitch and bleeds even more."

Vegeta laid down on his back and stretched out, grinning lazily when she moved over him, straddling his abs for a better angle. "I hope you don't sit like this with other warriors when you ink their chests," he chuckled.

"Heh, they _wish _I would," she replied, starting in on a tattoo she could draw in her sleep. "I've gotten quite a few offers to do so, but there's only ever been one warrior I've had any interest in being on top of."

"Oh? And who is this warrior?" He asked smugly. "Tell me about him."

"Well, you know, he's your typical Saiyan warrior. Brash, arrogant—" She dipped her needle in the inkwell before returning to his chest. "—egotistical, smug… The list goes on and on, my prince."

Vegeta smirked at those last two words; they did something funny to his chest. "Is he a fierce warrior?"

"Eh, well, that depends on when I've seen him fight. I saw him lose to this slip of a girl a couple weeks ago. She wasn't even a full-blooded Saiyan, and she had him crying on his knees like a bitch," she chuckled. She winked a single silver eye at him to let him know she was just ribbing him a little, when she felt him tense beneath her.

"As I recall, you lost to this warrior only a short time ago."

"Feh. He cheated, and I let him win out of pity," she snickered. "You see, he hadn't been laid in… what was it, five years? So I thought I'd throw him a bone. Er, well, more like he threw me one, anyway. Right between my thighs, too. Not bad aim, I must say. I have to admit, though, I'd wanted him too, for quite some time."

Vegeta's eyes grew a touch more serious as he watched her. "How long, Usa?"

Usagi blushed, the color standing out against her silver hair. A long time, but she wasn't answering that out loud. She'd been waiting for him all this time, she knew it now. No other man would do, no other man could come close to making her feel as complete and loved as he made her feel.

She wiped at the blood and ink on his chest, dipped her needle, and silently went back to work as she felt him in her head, reading her thoughts. "And just what do you think you're going to find in there, my prince?"

"Not sure yet," he admitted, "but I have to admit that it's fun swimming around in your mind."

Usagi felt a hint of disappointment coming from him through the bond. He was just a little upset that she hadn't taken advantage of the bond to read his thoughts as he had been doing with her. "I thought I'd give you the illusion of privacy, Geta. I just assumed it would be awfully rude to go digging around in your head like that."

She slipped into the very edge of his mind and heard him wondering if she was upset with him for poking around in her head so much. Then he was wondering if there was something wrong; why didn't she want to read his thoughts and his memories? Was she afraid that she'd be repulsed by the things he'd done in the past? He wouldn't blame her; _he _was disgusted by the shit he'd done while he'd worked for Frieza.

"Geta," she sighed, "that train of thought is only going to put both of us in a bad mood."

"Wait, you were in my head? I didn't even feel you in there." He frowned a little bit when she shrugged. "Why is that?"

Usagi grinned a little. "I don't know. Maybe it's because you're a typical Saiyan male, stomping around and making noise, while I prefer to tiptoe around and be a polite guest." She slipped into his mind again and bent to kiss his mouth, smirking as she felt him relax both mentally and physically at the contact. "Do you feel me in there right now?"

"No," he grumbled, "I don't." Then he suddenly heard her giggle in his head and think of how nice it was to finally have a little edge over him. "Heh, woman, if you call that an edge."

"Whatever you say, beloved." Usagi smiled as she felt his very real pleasure at hearing that word out of her mouth, and moved on to the fourth sunburst in his tattoo. She grinned when she heard him thinking that she was taking an awful lot longer than he thought she would just to do a simple inkjob that she could do in her sleep. "Maybe I like straddling you like this," she confessed.

"Well then, take all the time you'd like, woman." His breath caught in his throat when she rubbed herself against him, but he couldn't move without messing up her handiwork.

"Almost makes me wish my pants were off, so I could torture you a little," she remarked, speeding up the needle. The sooner she got this tattoo done, the sooner she could have him sheathed inside of her again, and the images in his head were making her a little anxious to join their bodies.

"Does somebody want something?" Vegeta purred, just barely moving his right hand to stroke the inside of her thigh.

"Geta, if you don't want to wind up with a Namekian head instead of a sunburst, you'd do well to hold still," she chided.

"Then you'd better hurry up," he advised, feeling himself grow hard for her. He growled when the needle suddenly slowed to a snail's pace. "And just what do you think you're doing, woman?"

"Making you batshit crazy, what do you think I'm doing?" Her hand kept moving slowly while her left moved down to unfasten her battle fatigues. It took her a minute, but she eventually got them off, knowing he wouldn't move and risk ruining his tattoo.

Vegeta's eyes fluttered shut and he groaned as she rubbed against him, wet and ready. "Woman, you're playing with fire."

Usagi chuckled as she began the outline of the sixth and final sunburst. "So… does somebody want something?" She teased. Her eyes shone mischievously when his cracked open slightly to gaze at her lustfully. "And what do I get if I give it to you?"

"Off, that's what you get." A tiny smile played on his lips as her head bent for just a moment and her mouth closed over his flat, hard nipple. "Why, woman, is there something in particular you'd like to request?" He purred in the back of his throat when he felt her tail wrap around his thigh and slide up to stroke him.

"Not really, but I'm sure I can think of something eventually." Her hand continued its agonizing slowness as the end of her tail wrapped around him and began to work him slowly, coaxing a series of soft groans from him.

Being forced to hold still was a sweet torture, but he was a little proud at his strength of will to withstand it. "You do realize that the moment you're finished with that last sunburst, your ass is mine."

"Oh, I know it," she replied, her eyes dancing with mirth. "But for now…"

Vegeta's head went back and he moaned her name as her tail tightened around him and squeezed as it continued to stroke him. "I know what I want, now," she said brightly. "I want a shower as soon as I'm done with your ink. And if I get one," she added, "you'll be very pleased with the results. Especially if you join me."

"Hm, I suppose," he rumbled softly, enjoying the attention her tail was lavishing upon him. Vegeta delved into her mind for a moment to see what she was planning, and was impressed to see her adjusting to the bond so quickly. She was already one step ahead of him, deliberately thinking about what she was doing at that very moment in order to mask her real thoughts. "Alright, you little vixen, we'll go take a shower," he agreed amicably. Vegeta grinned when her hand instantly sped up and she was finished with his tattoo in moments.

"Wait," she said quickly, when he tried to rise. Usagi flooded his chest and his shoulder with her ki, healing him, leaving two perfect and healed tattoos on his skin. "There." She stoppered the bottle, and the moment her needle was clean and wrapped, she was squealing as he ascended and threw her over his shoulder.

"Woman, whatever you have planned had better be good, or you're going to find yourself getting a pounding for tormenting me," Vegeta chuckled evilly.

"You'd better be nice, Geta, I'm already going to be sore as hell in the morning, so if you want any tomorrow…"

"Yeah, yeah. Hush, woman," he ordered, cutting the shower on hot and dropping her to stand in front of him. He leaned back against the wall when she immediately grabbed a cloth and some soap and began to attentively wash him. He closed his eyes and simply enjoyed it, letting her wash and rinse him. He nearly hit his knees, however, when he felt her mouth kiss him below the waist.

Vegeta's eyes rolled back and he moaned as her mouth started out shy, hesitantly moving over him, waiting to hear him gasp or sigh as she explored the spots that gave him the most pleasure. He bunched his hand in her hair in encouragement as she began a rhythm, her mouth and tongue growing bolder as he grew a little louder. "Kami, woman, the things I want to do to you right now. Stop," he croaked, as he felt himself reaching his peak.

He groaned in ecstasy as her grip merely shifted to his backside to hold him to her, informing him of her intentions to take him all the way over the edge. His legs shook when she finished him off, and the great Prince of all Saiyans found himself clinging to the slender commander of the Elite for support.

"Are you pleased with the results, my prince?" She whispered in his ear. Usagi squeaked with surprise as he abruptly sat on the floor of the shower stall, and pulled her into his lap, kissing her thoroughly. "I'll take that as a yes," she said with a smirk, once he'd finally released her.

Vegeta stood them both up, and proceeded to wash her just as slowly and meticulously as she had him. "Yes," he finally answered, once he'd found his voice, "I am very pleased with the results. Did you delve into my mind a little bit?" He wondered aloud, to which Usagi simply grinned and leaned back against the wall while he continued to lather her up. "I thought so. I'd only been dreaming of you taking me in your mouth since I was sixteen."

At that, Usagi licked her lips, and wondered what other little fantasies he'd had about her as a teenager. He'd waited long enough, and had gone through so much just to have her, and she was going to make it a priority to make every one of those fantasies come to life if she could. She would have done it sooner if she'd known, but she'd been saving it for the night he claimed her. "I can do it again if you'd like," she offered softly.

Vegeta growled a little as he shook his head. ""Oh no, woman, it's your turn."

"My turn?" She asked nervously, as he sank to his knees in front of her. "No, Geta, you don't have to do—oh gods," she groaned, as his tongue slipped between her legs to stroke her.

Usagi wasn't surprised to discover that this was also something he'd dreamed about doing to her for years, but she was a little shocked to learn that he'd never done this to a woman before. He'd been saving it just for her. "Geta," she sighed lovingly, gripping his shoulders and running her fingers through his hair in encouragement.

Usagi moaned a little when he ran his tongue over her slowly, and Vegeta reacted accordingly, gripping her hips as he attacked that spot mercilessly, over and over. He held her up as she began to shake against him, crying out softly in Saiyan as she came.

He kept her on her feet as he rose, and lifted her against him to fill her as he bit down on her mating mark. "You're mine," he whispered tenderly.

"I'm yours," she replied deliriously, unable to do anything but throw her head back and moan as he moved inside of her, immediately taking her over the edge again. She was whispering in Saiyan as he took her hard and slow, telling him over and over that she was his, completely his, how she surrendered to his complete possession of her, how she loved him.

"You're completely mine?" He growled in her ear. He moaned in ecstasy when she nodded weakly against him, on the edge of another climax. "Good, woman. I want you to do something for me."

"Anything," she whimpered.

Vegeta bent his head to her neck and raked his teeth over it as he thrust into her a little roughly. "Give me a son."

Usagi captured his mouth and kissed him fiercely as she clung to him tightly and rocked her hips against him. She told him yes with all of her heart through their bond, and felt him stiffen inside of her as she climaxed, taking him with her.

Vegeta chuckled when he lowered her to the floor… well, tried to, anyway. He found himself having to hold her up for several minutes, her legs were shaking so hard. "Are you alright, beloved?"

Usagi smiled dreamily and nodded. "You know, I'll want a daughter in a few years. A few of them, in fact."

"Daughters?" He snorted. "Why in the name of Vegeta-sai wouldn't you want sons, woman?"

"I didn't say I wouldn't give you sons, Geta," she chuckled. "But any daughter of ours… she'll be safe, Geta. Even if she isn't strong, she'll still get to choose her own mate freely, with the two of us to beat the hell out of any suitors. And Vegeta-sai always needs more mothers."

"You've got me there, woman," he admitted. The male to female ratio was three to one when they'd been children, and the rumor going around among the scientists was that it was steadily declining. His father had even decreed his approval of taking non-Saiyan mates for third and second class warriors, even if they hadn't felt the pull for them.

Usagi found her balance as she let him support some of her weight, and proceeded to wash her hair, purring with delight as he plucked the shampoo from her hand and took over, gently soaping the long silver mass. "You know, I remember you telling me when we were eight that I would bear your sons," she snorted.

"And I recall you agreeing to it," he chuckled with amusement.

"We were playing house!" Usagi laughed, subconsciously leaning into his touch. "And as for recalling certain things, I recall you being disgusted when I told you that warriors kiss their mates if they want children."

"Which I also agreed to… grudgingly. A small price to pay for strong sons," he chuckled. Vegeta felt a wave of tenderness at the memory of that first kiss, as innocent as it had been.

They were sharing the same thought right then, a picture of a little Vegeta with his eyes closed tightly, puckering up, and a look of utter disgust on his face as he waited for a laughing Usagi to lay one on him. Only, that look of revulsion had become one of wonder the very moment her lips had brushed against his. His hand had risen up to cup her face, and he had pulled her to him gently to kiss her again, a simple pressing of his lips against hers.

Even at the tender age of eight, he had known she was his, and that had been the day he'd declared to his father that he wanted her.

Usagi leaned back against him and sighed wistfully as she experienced his memory of that encounter.

_"Father?"_

_ "What, brat?" King Vegeta asked roughly, a touch of fondness in his voice that he couldn't hide for his only son._

_ "I have chosen my future mate, and seek your approval." Vegeta lifted his chin pridefully when his father let out a sharp laugh of surprise. "It's not funny, old man. I'm serious."_

_ "Well, then, boy," the king chuckled, "who am I approving for you?"_

_ "Usagi. I want her, when we're old enough to pair-bond." Vegeta's back became impossibly straighter when his father looked at him with sheer surprise, followed by anger._

_ "She's your sister, brat."_

_ "She's not my sister, damn it!" Vegeta yelled. "I am so sick of hearing that! She's Tarble's sister, __**not **__mine!"_

_ King Vegeta regarded his son heavily and shook his head. "You're first class, brat. A future Elite. You will not taint the royal line by mating with a female that isn't pure Saiyan." He heard the growl emanating from the eight-year-old crown prince, and suddenly knew that this was a very serious matter. The boy was already acting as if the girl was his true mate, and not some childhood comrade. "Lose that attitude, brat, or I'll remove her from your training squad."_

_ Vegeta's eyes went wide at that threat; Saiyan children were lumped into squads at a young age, and those squads were permanent, even after they'd come of age. 'You wouldn't. It would be such an insult to your mate that she'd shun you."_

_ Damn it, he had him, but King Vegeta wasn't backing down. "If that's what I have to do to keep you from trying to make such an outlandish choice, it's what I'll do, boy."_

_ Fuck. His father rarely bluffed, and Vegeta hesitated to push the issue. If Usagi was removed from his squad, he'd almost never see her, except for when she climbed into his bed at night. "Fine," he spat, ending the argument. For now. He had years to wear his father down, to prove that this wasn't some passing childish crush. _

_ His father had come to speak to him the next morning, and finding him curled around a naked little bundle of blonde hair, he'd walked right back out of the room, fuming with anger. _

_ "You're mine, Usa," Vegeta whispered in her ear, pulling her tightly against him. "Fuck that old man. You're mine, anyway."_

_ "Geta, I'm sleeping. Shut up," Usagi snorted, sighing happily as his tail wrapped around hers comfortingly._

_ "Sorry," he grumbled. "Go back to sleep, girl."_

_ "Love you, Geta."_

_ Vegeta waited a moment for her to fall back asleep before bending his mouth to her shoulder to nip her gently, right where he'd mark her in another eight years, with or without his father's approval._

Usagi closed her eyes in contentment as Vegeta, caught up in the memory, bit down on her shoulder, his arms and tail wrapped tightly around her waist. "I'm yours, Geta."

"I know," he sighed happily. He finally released her just enough to rinse her hair in the spray, and the moment she was soap-free, she was in his arms again, and he was carrying her back to the bed.

He made love to her three more times before he was sated enough to let her sleep; she was clearly exhausted before he'd even started the first round outside of the shower, but he was burning to claim her, to prove to himself that he finally had complete possession of the life-long object of his desire.

Vegeta lapped at her mating mark as she dozed in his arms, and smiled softly as he sensed a very faint third ki in the bed with them. There was no way to tell for sure, but he was positive that it was a male. And strong, too, if he was sensing it only an hour or two after conception. His tail tangled with Usagi's as he wrapped his arms around her protectively.

They'd have to stay there, in the Time Chamber, until her time came to give birth. They only had a year to train before this new threat arrived, so he knew she'd agree to it, not wanting to lose several months of training time because she was pregnant.

Shit, and because she wasn't full Saiyan, neither of them would be able to accurately predict how long she'd be carrying this child. Saiyans were pregnant for six months. Humans for nine. He'd have to ask her in the morning if she'd spoken with Bardock's mate and found out how long she would be pregnant.

** WOOOOOOOOOO! FINALLY! YALL BETTER BE FUCKING HAPPY DAMN IT! Naw, I'm just playing. Though I hope yall are happy. Next chapter will take me at least a week, yall. As SeleneA and Ana know, I have lots of shit brewing that HAS to get busted out before my head explodes. **

**ChibiSilver: My husband and I have a similar arrangement with me reading; he knows it's certain stories when I start laughing my ass off. Hope you got a kick out of some of the stuff in this chapter, too!**

**Crispy: It was like… a week? Damn, I got yall spoiled.**

**Lonely: Well, you'd better drop sleeping for this chapter, then lol. It's 1 am EST, so you're prolly sleeping right now. Oh, and check yer durn PMs woman. Damn.**

**Krissy: It wasn't so much that he wanted an underwear name. Think about it, he was an orphan, with cousins and an aunt and uncle. He wanted to fit in, to be a part of the family. More on that later.**

**New Moon: Dunno about chibi usa… we'll see. And I think your SSJ question was just answered rofl.  
**


	24. Chapter 24

**BABIES! LOTS OF THEM!**

Vegeta shook his head slightly when he woke eight hours later to the feel of Usagi's mouth below his waist. "Kami, woman," he groaned. "Don't— need to stop—" He carefully separated himself from her, and kissed the confused frown on her face.

When he just laid back down and shook his head, her frown deepened. "Did I do something wrong, Geta?"

He sighed and pulled her down, tucking her tightly against his chest. "I don't want to hurt the brat," he finally confessed, when it looked like she was ready to cry at his rejection.

The pain in her eyes was quickly replaced with pure amusement. "You won't hurt him, Geta," she snorted, trying her very best not to sound patronizing. She raised a silver brow and pinned him firmly on his back when he opened his mouth to argue, and grinned when he realized that she was still a Super Saiyan, and he was at the moment, not. "Who's the midwife in this bed, Geta?" She swiftly trapped his arms against the mattress when he tried to slip out from under her.

"You've never taken care of a pregnant Saiyan woman," he pointed out.

"All women are the same, my prince. If you're not hurting me, you're not hurting the child." Despite his resistance, Vegeta was hard and ready, clearly turned on by being dominated a little bit. "In fact, towards the end of pregnancy, mating can help the woman start her labor. And as she gets further along, certain areas get swollen and…" She leaned down to nibble at his ear, sliding back to rub against him. "…extremely sensitive. Can you imagine how nice and tight it'll be, Geta?"

His only response was to groan as she pressed her entrance down on him. Kami, this woman was some sort of sex goddess, straight out of the legends of his people. He stared at her for a long moment, the curtain of her silver hair falling on either side of his face. Those silver and green eyes were watching him, dancing with a mixture of laughter and lust, as her hips began to move, teasing him relentlessly. "Woman, you should be outlawed."

Usagi grinned at that and rubbed against him a little harder. "My temperature will also get a little bit higher, you know. I can only imagine how wonderfully warm it would feel for you. My breasts will get bigger… my hips will get wider…" She made a pleased noise in the back of her throat when his hips instinctively lifted and he just barely pressed his length into her. "Mmm… I thought you didn't want any of this, Geta."

"That is _not _what I said, woman. Kami, this is torture._" _His head tipped back in ecstasy as she moved over him, taking only a couple inches of him, refusing to meet the thrust of his hips.

"Do you want me, then?" She purred, nipping at his mark.

"You know I do." Gods, if she didn't take all of him, she was going to find herself pinned and fucked to within an inch of her life… Shit! He couldn't even do that, he'd wind up hurting the brat! Moaning her name, he would have clutched at the sheets if she didn't still have his hands firmly pinned.

"Hm, that's more like it." Usagi took another two inches, sighing with pleasure as she rode him slowly. "Mine," she whispered in Saiyan.

Vegeta's eyes opened and he made a choked noise at the possessive tone in her voice. Saiyan women did _not _say that word, it was solely used by men when claiming their mates. "You'd better be teasing, woman."

"Maybe I am, maybe not." She retreated a little, smirking in triumph when his hips rocked upwards and he growled in frustration. "That depends on your answer, Geta."

"You're mine, woman, **not** the other way around."

"Tsk, tsk, Geta. You should know better." She pulled her hips back just a little more. "I'm a woman, I'm always right. Well," she hedged, "I'm never _wrong_, at any rate. Just occasionally mistaken."

"I'm your mate," he allowed, finally swallowing enough of his pride to make the only culturally acceptable statement he could think of. A pleased little noise flew from his mouth when she slid herself back down to where she'd been before she'd retreated, and began to move once more.

"Was that so hard?" Usagi nibbled at his throat, then bent her head to take one of his flat nipples in her mouth, biting down lightly before giving the same treatment to its twin. "Now… what else can I make you do or say in exchange for the rest of it?" She chuckled.

"You'd better remember that I'm only _letting_ you pin me down, Usa," he growled sexily.

"Oh, really!?" She laughed. "And here I was, enjoying the fact that I have complete and total power over you."

Enough was enough. Feeling her pull back once more, he immediately ascended and reversed their positions, taking delight at the shock on her face. She really thought he was going to let her torture him like that indefinitely? That was just too cute. "Sixteen years, and you're still so ridiculously naïve," he snorted.

It was Usagi's turn to moan as he slid himself home, completely filling her as he firmly pinned her wrists behind her head. "Sixteen years later, and you're still so easy to manipulate," she laughed huskily. "You don't think I didn't know what I was doing to you?" Her lips twitched up in a satisfied smile when he gaped at her for a brief moment.

"Bitch," he snorted in surprise. Vegeta quickly recovered, however, and began to move inside of her slowly, checking his thrusts out of concern for their unborn son. "So, this is what you wanted?"

She nodded, gasping as a sweet pressure began to build low in her stomach. "You feel so good, Geta." Her eyes rolled back as she began to crest, and she found herself whimpering when he suddenly stopped. "What are you doing?" Understanding dawned in her eyes when he simply grinned at her. "Asshole."

"Still so naïve, Usagi." He gave a single thrust, relishing the way her body instinctively arched against him, wanting him to continue. "It's so nice, having complete and total power over you."

Growing frustrated with his teasing, she wrapped her tail around his and began to massage it seductively. "Please?" She purred, looking up at him through her lashes.

Vegeta inwardly groaned a little when she slowly licked her lips and moved against him just slightly in invitation. "Godsdamnit, woman, I don't think I could deny you anything," he breathed softly, resuming the rhythm. He watched her lips part slightly as her eyes fluttered shut, and died a little at the sight of her when she moaned his name. "Gods, you're so fucking perfect," he groaned, thrusting a little harder despite his efforts not to.

Then he suddenly stopped again, and when Usagi opened her eyes, she found him grinning at her. "Beloved, if you don't stop teasing me…" she warned.

"Let me hear it, Usa," he purred, nipping at her mark. Vegeta chuckled when he felt her mind in his for a brief moment and her jaw dropped in reaction.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me, Gee-Gee. Seriously? _Now_?" Usagi rolled her eyes a little, but couldn't help but chuckle.

"Unless you'd prefer me to tickle you as well," he replied with a feral grin, releasing her wrists to whisper his nails down her sides, making her twitch. Vegeta nearly gave in when she gave him that little smile once more and gazed up at him through her lashes.

"I bow before the almighty King of the Saiyans." Her hand began to pet the base of his tail at that and she was pleased to hear him groan a little. "I am not worthy of his presence… " She continued to pet his tail as she rocked her hips in a slow rhythm. "You really need to hear it _all_, Geta?" Usagi whispered in his ear.

"Skip to the last part," he choked.

"That's what I thought. I love Vegeta with all my heart, with whipped cream and strawberries on top, and I will worship my prince forever," she finished softly.

"Mmm… much better. Now… where was I?"

###########################

"You need to rest, woman," Vegeta said flatly.

Silver eyes flecked with turquoise narrowed and flashed with anger as Usagi shook her head. "I can't train like you can, Geta, but I can still push the limits of my ki, damn it."

"I didn't say you couldn't," he growled with a hint of affection. "I just said that you should rest. I can feel the brat's ki responding to yours, and I don't want him to hurt you."

Usagi rolled her eyes and cradled an arm beneath her hefty abdomen. Any day now, her body was telling her. True, it had only been five months, but she was a woman, and a woman knew when her time was growing near. "Veggie won't hurt me, he knows that I'm his mother." She smiled when Vegeta's hand reached out to stroke her swollen belly, something he never tried of doing.

"If you rest, I'll rub your feet," he offered, chuckling when her interest sharpened. He scooped her up effortlessly and carried her to the bed, where he waited patiently for her to get comfortable on her side. She'd been having trouble breathing lately whenever she'd been lying on her back, and while she wouldn't admit it, it still worried him.

Usagi gurgled with pleasure as his hands moved over her feet attentively. "I can't wait to be able to train like normal again… and without everything being all swollen."

"I recall you enjoying the fact that a certain area's swollen," he chuckled.

"Yeah, but _only_ that area. Hell, I'm flying like a drunken bumblebee, I'm so fat." She purred when his hands moved to her calves; she woke almost nightly with cramps in them, cursing her body in Saiyan while they both rubbed at her legs and she flexed her ankles in an effort to relieve them.

She dozed off, just as he'd known she would, as he slowly massaged her feet and legs. Vegeta returned to training, smiling smugly at the knowledge that he'd just manipulated her into doing exactly as he'd wanted. She'd be pissed when she woke, but that was a small price to pay to ensure her and the brat's health while her time drew close.

He was surprised to find her still sleeping when he returned to shower and fix something for them to eat, but then again, she hadn't been sleeping well at night, regularly waking up with the cramps in her legs and the odd contraction now and then. Thankfully Usagi had attended plenty of births while she'd been training with Gure, so she was able to assure him that those contractions were only her body preparing for the real show. She'd know when it was time.

Vegeta snuggled in behind her, wrapping his tail around hers and resting his hand on her belly as he joined her in slumber.

He woke several hours later, annoyed and alert. "What the hell?" He grumbled, searching around for any foreign ki. No, it was still just the three of them, and the smallest of them was doing katas in his mate's belly, it felt like. Vegeta chuckled and patted the brat affectionately. "Go back to sleep and give your mother a damned break, boy," he ordered.

He felt her belly tighten against his hand, and frowned when it didn't relax after a few seconds. He began to count, and his frown deepened into a scowl when it only relaxed after thirty seconds. It was time, he was sure of it. That explained why she was still sleeping; her body was resting before it got to work. Vegeta fought the urge to wake her while he waited patiently to see how far apart the contractions were, and sighed when they came regularly at three-minutes intervals.

Usagi had informed him that five-minute intervals, with steady, long contractions meant that the baby was going to come. "Usa, wake up," Vegeta ordered her gently, shaking her.

"Wha?"

"The baby's coming, mate."

Usagi smirked at the hint of worry and urgency in his voice. "I know, don't worry. I woke up earlier when the contractions were five minutes apart."

"And you didn't wake me!?" He snapped, his eyes flashing with sheer panic.

She sighed understandingly and stroked his cheek. "It's alright, Geta, that was two hours ago. My labor's progressing normally, and the baby is fine."

"Two hours?" His eyes widened and he shook his head, muttering to himself in Saiyan. "How long is this going to take?"

"As long as it takes, Geta." Gods, it was so hard not to laugh at him, but it was impossible to keep the amusement off of her face. That amusement faded, and she closed her eyes as she rode out another contraction. She was going to be forced to lower her ki soon so she wouldn't hurt the baby with her pushing, but for now it was taking the edge off of the pain.

"You're hurting?" Vegeta was hardly the typical soon-to-be-father, who would be pacing, wringing his hands, and going out of his mind, but it was evident that he was fighting the urge to do all three of those things. "Should I get the Namek?" The prince wondered for a split second if Piccolo would even be waiting outside the door, but struck that thought. Of course he would be, it was his turn to use the Time Chamber next.

"Only if you think you need the help," she said lightly, relaxing as the contraction eased. She sighed and smiled as he turned his head to eye the door. "Geta, it's going to be ok." Her hand reached up to smooth away his frown, and she pulled him down for a kiss. "Babies are born every day."

"Not Saiyan princes," he replied flatly. Vegeta swallowed his pride out of concern for his mate and brat, and went to the door, swinging it open.

Piccolo looked up and smirked. "Took you more than a few hours, didn't it?"

"She's in labor," Vegeta said flatly. He refused to make eye contact with the Namek while he worked up the courage for his next statement. "I don't want to move her, and I don't know what I'm doing."

"Got you covered, actually. I called Goku when you didn't come out after an hour." Piccolo flared his ki, signaling the other Saiyan, who was training by himself a few hundred yards away.

Goku took one look at Vegeta's face, the way his jaw was twitching, and how he kept looking back into the bedroom to check on his mate. "I take it Piccolo was right?"

Vegeta nodded. "We chose to stay inside so she could still have the year to train after giving birth. You know anything about delivering Saiyan brats?" He held the door open for Goku and closed it behind the both of them when his rival simply gave him a dopey grin and nodded.

"Hey, Kakarot, long time no see," Usagi said with a smile.

"Yeah, only a few hours," he chuckled. "How are you feeling?" Goku laid a hand on her stomach, and nodded when he found the baby head down and simply biding his time.

"I'm alright."

"I know that, but are you feeling hungry, or nauseous, woozy?"

Usagi shrugged. "I could eat something, but that's all the time lately."

Goku sighed with relief. "That's good, very good. Vegeta, would you mind fixing your mate something to eat? Nothing too greasy or heavy. Water to drink."

Vegeta couldn't believe he was blindly taking orders from that third-class baka, but he did as he was told for Usagi's sake. He saw red and instantly ascended when Goku lifted her skirt and peered beneath it. "Just what do you think you're doing to my mate, Kakarot!?"

Goku looked up and shook his head, speaking as if he were to a small child. "Just where did you think this baby was going to come out of, Vegeta?"

"Why—you—"

"Geta!" Usagi snapped, but not without understanding. "The birthing room is not a place for anger or for annoying the fuck out of the mother, and right now you're doing _both_!"

Vegeta instantly got a hold on his emotions when he heard the wheeze in her voice, and came to her side. "Lay down on your side, woman," he ordered as gently as he could. "I know you have trouble breathing on your back." He smoothed back her hair and kissed her forehead when she made a face, signaling the start of another contraction. "Two minutes apart," he said hoarsely.

"It's alright," Goku assured him.

The prince turned and sighed before looking Goku in the eye. "I'm sorry for my outburst, Kakarot. Do whatever you have to for my mate and brat."

"Not a problem, Vegeta. You're about to be a father." Goku shrugged and grinned. "I was a damned mess when Chi-Chi gave birth to Gohan. They had to kick me out of the room. I kept getting in the way."

Somehow, Vegeta wasn't surprised, and vowed to make himself useful. He made Usagi some soup and a sandwich, helped her sit up in the bed so she could eat, and tried not to be annoying whenever her face tensed and she suddenly stopped talking while she blocked out a wave of pain.

"Alright, Usagi," Goku said sympathetically.

She nodded and whimpered in anticipation. "What?" Vegeta asked worriedly. "It's not time yet, her contractions aren't close enough."

"The boy's ki is rising," Usagi explained. "I have to lower mine, and concentrate on matching his, or we'll wind up hurting one another. The contractions will come a lot faster, now." Her hair reverted to gold, her eyes turned blue, and she bit down on her lip as her child's ki rose and another contractions ripped through her back.

"Usa?" Vegeta asked worriedly. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and a trickle of blood came from her mouth as she bit down harder. "Usagi?"

"Fine!" She snapped. "Just shut up!" Her knuckles went white as she gripped the sheets, and she fought to breathe as Goku eased her onto her back and lifted her skirt to take a look.

"You're doing great, Usa," he crooned, rubbing her calf affectionately. "Just great. It's still not time, sweetheart, so let's roll to the side and rest in between pains, ok?" Goku stopped her suddenly. "There goes your water, too. Vegeta, get me some towels to clean up the mess, please?"

Vegeta swiftly did as he was told and helped Goku clean up the mess as best they could. "Come on, Usa, let's roll," he instructed, once they got a fresh sheet under her.

She merely nodded and let the men help her roll over. The pains weren't as intense in this position, and it was infinitely easier to breathe. Usagi cracked her eyes open as her body relaxed, and gave the green-eyed face less than an inch from hers a gentle smile. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Geta."

"You're alright, woman. The look on your face just… scared me, that's all." He used the sheet to wipe the sweat from her forehead, and ran his fingers through her hair. "Is there anything I can do?"

Usagi shook her head and kissed him. "Just stay here. I'm glad you haven't run off like most Saiyan men," she said with a smug smile.

"My father was present for my birth. I could hardly let the old man show me up," Vegeta snorted. He took her hand gently in his and grimaced when she bore down and squeezed his fingers through another wave of pain, grinding the bones together. It didn't hurt him, but by the face she was making, he could tell she was in excruciating pain. He tried to reach her through their bond and take some of it from her, but he found himself effectively blocked out. "Let me help, woman."

"No, Geta, I've got this. This is my battle, not yours, so just let me fight it. I am Saiyan Elite," she snarled, more to herself than anyone. "I will not turn my back on a fight, damn it."

"Your ki, Usagi," Goku reminded her gently, as he massaged her lower back. "And there's nothing wrong with sharing some of the pain with your mate. I did the same for Chi-Chi, and I was grateful to help her. Let him help so you can relax a little. It's better for the baby."

"The old man took some of the pain for my mother," Vegeta added. "Toma, too, during both the miscarriage and Tarble's birth. Let me help you, Usa."

She sighed and finally nodded, letting him in as she lowered her ki to match the baby's.

Vegeta grimaced and held onto her hand as he experienced his first contraction, bravely pushing further into the bond to take half of her pain. "How are you not screaming your head off with the full force of it?"

"I'm a woman," she answered simply, concentrating on her ki level. "I have a higher pain tolerance than a man." Usagi rode out another one, and sighed with relief at the end of it as she felt the urge to have a bowel movement. "I feel pressure, Kakarot. It's time."

"Wow, that was faster than I thought!" Goku said happily. "On your back, Usagi, and let me take a look." He and Vegeta helped her roll, and he grinned at the sight before him. "I can see the head, Usagi! Go ahead and push when you're ready! Vegeta, help her sit up a little so she doesn't pass out."

The prince did one better and got behind his mate, letting her rest against his chest as another wave of pain went through the both of them and she pushed. "Breathe, woman, and watch your ki," he reminded her, trying his hardest to focus through the pain. Kami, why in the hell did some women do this more than once!? It was insane!

Usagi snorted and rolled her eyes a little before pushing once more. "You're such a sissy, Vegeta. We've got another eight or nine of these brats ahead of us, so just get used to it."

"It's official, you're fucking insane. Push, woman." He tried to take a little more of her pain, but found himself blocked from doing so. "Woman, don't be so stubborn, let me take it all if I can."

Usagi simply breathed in, then pushed again as she exhaled. A cry of pain left her lips as she felt something tear, but she kept pushing despite it.

"That's the head, Usagi, great job!" Goku cheered. "Just a couple more pushes!"

"This is the fun part," Usagi whimpered, and let out a yell as she cleared her son's shoulders. "Breathe, brat," she ordered, giving another push to completely free him from her body.

Vegeta climbed out from behind Usagi and reached for the baby when he saw Goku frown. "Give him to me, Kakarot." Vegeta promptly then passed the baby to his mate. "Use your ki, woman, he's been surrounded by that healing light for five months."

Usagi cradled the infant in her arms and immediately ascended. Tears flooded her eyes when the baby stirred weakly, then a little stronger, and cried out against her. "Shh, Veggiehead, Mommy's got you." She smoothed back the bloody lavender hair and wrapped her tail around him comfortingly before purring softly and giving him her breast. "See, the titty shuts all men up, not just you," she crooned. "It sure works for your daddy."

"Here, Usa," Goku said, once he was done cutting the cord and delivering the afterbirth.

She gratefully took the offered senzu bean, giving him a tiny smile as she nodded her head slightly to Vegeta. Goku just grinned back at her, catching her meaning. Vegeta had been staring at the tiny version of himself as if he'd never seen a baby before, let alone one so perfect.

Goku gave her a wink as he checked her, making sure that the bean was healing her quickly, and promptly washed his hands to make her something to eat.

"Hm?" Usagi asked, when Vegeta mumbled something. They'd backed away from the bond for a little while so she could concentrate on filling the baby with her light.

"I said, he's got a good grip," Vegeta repeated softly.

"He's his father's son. He'll be a strong and fierce warrior one day." Usagi couldn't hide her pleasure when he bent his head to kiss her with barely restrained heat. "What was that for?" She asked, once he'd finally pulled away.

"For being perfect," he whispered, nipping at her mating mark.

"Uh-uh, Vegeta, none of that," Goku chided, setting down a plate of food on the nightstand. "She'll need about a week before she's done with the bleeding, if she heals like one of us. How's the baby?" Goku asked, turning to Usagi.

"Veggie's fine, I'll just stay as a Legendary until I'm sure he'll be ok by himself."

Goku grinned, as if noticing the change in the both of them for the first time. "Hey, yeah! You've both ascended! When did that happen!?"

"I made it about five months ago, and Usagi a few weeks later… though that was by accident," he answered with a grin.

"Accident?" Goku just shook his head. "How in the hell do you become a Super Saiyan by accident?" Then he saw Usagi's blush and the gleam in Vegeta's eye, and he laughed. "Yeah, I've had that happen a couple of times, too, with Chi-Chi," he chuckled. "Nice ink."

Vegeta nodded, acknowledging the compliment. He couldn't think of that night without growing aroused, remembering how she'd looked at him while she'd done his mark of the Army, then the way she'd teased him during the sunbursts… the way he'd taken her in the shower afterwards, and then in the bed.

"Geta, stop thinking those things," Usagi giggled. "You can wait a damned week."

##############

"Ready?" Bulma asked, smiling over at the new parents. She pressed a button on the screen, and made sure the camera hooked up to Usagi's scouter was on and trained on the bed where Usagi was resting.

"Scouter, patch me through to the palace. King Vegeta."

"This is a private line used only—"

"Asparrago, just shut the fuck up and patch my Father through!" Usagi snapped, immediately regretting her tone when Veggie began to whimper in her arms. "Shh, shh, it's ok, boy. Your mother just doesn't like idiots. And this idiot should have simply checked to see who was transmitting, rather than being a jackass and—"

"Daughter?"

Usagi looked up from the lavender-haired bundle in her arms and smiled at the king. "Father." She passed the baby to Vegeta when he held his arms out, and the prince walked closer to the camera to give his father a better look.

"I present you with your grandson, Majesty," Usagi said formally. "Vegeta the Fourth."

Vegeta smirked at the camera when his father's face was stamped with nothing but sheer confusion. "We were in a place called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Father. A few days have passed for you since we last spoke, but it's been a year for me. My mate joined me there a little over five months ago. She delivered my son last night."

The king took a moment to absorb all of this as he examined the baby, and then his daughter, who was pale and weak and… "Your hair is silver, daughter." He made a slightly choked noise as his son effortlessly powered up, and was engulfed in a golden light, changing his hair to blonde and his eyes to green.

Usagi and Vegeta both exchanged identical smug looks at His Majesty's complete inability to do anything but gape at them both. "L—L—Legen—" That was all the king could get out, and Usagi and Vegeta both snickered at his reaction.

"Yes, Father," Vegeta said dryly, "Legendary. Both of us. Usagi is staying in that form for the brat, since his health seems more stable when that healing light around her is high."

The king found his voice, then. "Woman, you need to lower your ki and conserve it so that you can heal."

Usagi reached for the baby, and it was obvious that he had an easier time breathing, and was far more active in his mother's arms. "I was ascended during almost all of the pregnancy, Father, pushing my limits, since I couldn't spar with Geta. I'm sure he'll outgrow it, but when I'm ascended, my ki automatically heals those right next to me, and he seems to need that right now. I'm weaning him back on it little by little. At first, I was the only one that could hold him without his breathing starting to fail, but now Vegeta can take over for a few moments while I eat or use the bathroom."

"So, he's weak? The progeny of two Legendaries is weak," the king said in disappointment.

Usagi's eyes flashed angrily, but Vegeta kept her from flying out of the bed. "He's not weak, you fucktard! He's been acclimated to my healing ki! He'll be fine once I've weaned him off of it! Probably in less than a couple of days!"

"His ki is higher than any infant I've ever encountered," Vegeta snapped, his eyes going cold.

"And this conversation is over, Father. Scouter, disconnect," Usagi said icily.

"God, way to ruin a joyous occasion," Bulma said with a shake of her head. "What a rotten bastard, to say such a thing about his own grandchild."

Vegeta completely agreed, but he was too busy looking at his mate in concern to acknowledge Bulma's comment. "Usagi?"

Her mouth became a hard line as she clutched her son tightly to her chest. He was not weak, damn it. He was perfect, and she'd seen for herself just how strong her son would become in the future. Not only that, but she knew for a fact that he would be weaned off of her ki soon, since Bulma and Raditz would raise him after her and Vegeta died.

"Usa?"

She simply shook her head at him, blocking him from using their pair bond to read her thoughts, and laid down with the baby lying against her side. Usagi kept her mouth shut out of a reluctance to let Vegeta see her cry, since she knew what it did to him. And he didn't need to know how high she held his father's opinion; it would only disgust him as much as it did her right at that moment.

The Saiyan prince shook his head. Damn it, his father had genuinely hurt her feelings, and he didn't need the bond to know that. "Get some rest," he suggested. "I'm going to train, and as soon as you're well, I expect you to join me." He felt a little better when she gave a sharp nod.

"Usagi, are you going to be alright?" Bulma asked gently, as soon as Vegeta was out of the room. She sat down on the side of the bed, and felt a shiver of alarm to see the Saiyan in front of her crying. She sighed, and not knowing what else to do, ran her fingers through her hair in a comforting gesture. "He's a prick, sweetie, and he's completely wrong. That baby is perfect."

"Not in the eyes of a full-blooded Saiyan, he's not. He can't survive on his own, not yet. If we were living on Vegeta-sai, I would have to fight tooth and nail to keep Father from purging him, just like Mother did for me."

Bulma snorted and shook her head, a tiny smile blooming on her face. "He'd have to fight Vegeta, too, Usa. You didn't see the way his jaw tightened; his father would be black and blue right now if he were here on Earth."

There was a quick thump on the door, and both women looked up to see Raditz just as he opened the door. "I felt that something was wrong with you, woman." Then he saw Usagi and sighed heavily before striding over to the bed and brushing her hair back with his hand. He frowned when his mate told him silently what had just happened. "Your father's a fucking idiot," he snorted, then turned his head to the scouter. "But I know what will cheer you up, Usa. Scouter, get Broly."

"Usa?" Broly blinked and surveyed the scene gleefully. "You had a brat! Holy shit, that was fast! Is it Raditz's?"

Bulma laughed while the two Saiyans blushed furiously and shook their heads. "He's Vegeta's son," she chuckled. "And I'm Bulma, by the way. Raditz's mate." She took the reins on the conversation then, explained the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and answered any questions that the other Saiyan had.

"She sure can talk," Broly teased.

"I think she'd get along with Mina wonderfully," Raditz chuckled. "How is she anyway?"

"Resisting every effort that I make to get her pregnant," he replied with a grin. "It's only a matter of time, though, I've rooted out several stashes of birth control… I honestly think she's starting to look at it like some sort of sick game." He looked at Bulma and grinned ferally. "It's a matter of days before you're knocked up, woman."

"Heh, Raditz and I have been through this, Broly. Here, change of subject, look at the baby."

"Eh, fawning over brats is for women. Here, Mina's heard everything already, anyway, and she's about to climb down my throat if I don't hand the scouter over."

The moment Mina's face appeared, she was squealing and cooing as Raditz brought the baby closer for her inspection. "Princess, he's perfect! Did you hear about Ami and Nappa?"

Usagi blinked and shook her head. "No, did Ami deliver naturally?" She asked incredulously.

"Ye gods, no! That baby was thirteen pounds when they cut it from her, and that was a month early! Cicely's growing in an incubator tank right now, and she'll be ready to come out in a few more days. Is Mako there, yet?"

"Yeah, and due to give birth any day, now. I'll be delivering the baby when he time comes, I just hope it's not for a few more days, so I can recover."

They chatted for a little while longer until Bulma reminded her that it was time to eat something. Usagi had called Tarble first, so she wasn't going to bother him again so soon. He'd been ecstatic to see his nephew, had showed off his own daughter, and had then exchanged some heartfelt words with his brother. Vegeta had been just as pleased to see him, too, even if he'd kept that damnable Saiyan mask in place. Tarble had seemed to understand, though, being a Saiyan male, himself.

#########################

The door to the gravity room slammed open and Bardock just gaped at Usagi, wide-eyed and panting.

The princess smiled in response. "Mako's in labor?" She guessed.

Bardock nodded emphatically and darted forward to grab her by the hand, despite Vegeta's efforts to tell Bardock to calm down, and the older Saiyan began to practically drag her across the room. "Kakarot's with her right now, but I don't remember Romayna having such a hard time of it. We need to get to her now."

As if on cue, Goku popped in and grabbed them both. "Come on," he urged, "we don't have time to waste." He IT'd them both to the cottage near Goku's own home where Bardock and Mako had taken up residence, and stepped out of the way when Usagi rushed to the bedside.

"She's bleeding too much," the princess said urgently. "Mako, honey, can you hear me?"

The Althean opened her eyes as the earth trembled in response to her pain, the emeralds standing out against her pale, sweaty skin. "Yeah, Usa. I know. Just get me something to bite down on and take the baby."

"It'll be alright, sweetheart, I promise," Usagi whispered, taking a cloth to wipe the sweat from her face. "Kakarot," she barked, "go get Bulma right now, and have her bring something to knock her out, and a sterile knife." She waited for the younger Saiyan to teleport before turning to Bardock. "You might not want to be here for this."

"I'm not leaving," he growled, stepping up to the other side of the bed. He knelt and took his mate's hand in his, and proceeded to wipe her face with a cool cloth in a bowl at the bedside. "Relax, beloved," he whispered in Saiyan.

"Bardock… if you have to choose—"

"Don't you **dare**," he snarled. "There will be no choosing of any kind, understand? Usagi's here, and she'll save the both of you no matter what. Right, girl?"

Usagi didn't miss the desperation in his tone, and gave him a slow nod as she ascended, took Mako's free hand, and let her healing ki go to work.

"Back," Goku's voice said from behind them, and he released his passenger to let her move to Mako and inject her in the butt cheek.

"That'll knock her out," Bulma said quickly.

"I'll be here when you wake, beloved," Bardock murmured tenderly. "Sleep, now." He kissed her mouth gently as her eyes began to flutter shut, and sighed with relief when he felt her pass out through the mating bond. "She's out, Usa."

Bulma immediately handed over the knife as Usagi sterilized her hands with her ki and bared Mako's huge belly, before she moved to assist the demi-Saiyan. "Just tell me what to do if you need me for anything, Usagi."

The princess nodded and didn't waste any more time with talk, and pressed the knife to the bottom curve of Mako's belly. She worked fast and silently, and laid the baby in Kakarot's outstretched, blanket-draped arms before taking care of everything else and beginning to heal her patient.

Bulma got the baby breathing easily so Usagi could concentrate on the mother, who was nearly healed by the time Kale took his first shuddering breath and announced his arrival to world with a scream. "He's of the House of Bardock, alright," she said dryly. "All you boys sure know how to yell."

"You mean that they know how to run their mouths," Usagi corrected dryly. "Gossip queens, the lot of them. There, she's healed, but she's lost more blood than she should have. She needs to eat as soon as she wakes, Bardock, and she's to stay in bed for at least a week or unless I say otherwise."

"Here, Father, don't you want to hold your son?" Goku asked brightly, holding the baby out to him. He grinned when Bardock clumsily took the squalling infant; he was only twenty-seven years out of practice at that sort of thing, but he managed not to drop Kale on his head. The last thing they needed was another Goku on their hands, forgetting his Saiyan nature for over two decades.

"My son," Bardock rumbled with more than just a touch of pride. He smirked when the baby stopped crying at the sound of his father's voice, a voice he'd heard in the womb every day for the last several months, and wound his tail around the thick wrist cradling him. The baby opened his eyes, then, showing a pair of emeralds that matched his mother's.

"He has Raditz's hair," Bulma snickered.

"Damn boy's gotten into every woman in the universe, I swear," Bardock joked, and handed Kale to Bulma when she indicated that she wanted to wash him up. "Have I told you about the time he slept with eight women at once and came home with the creeping crud, Bulma?"

The blue-haired genius blinked, as well as Usagi. "Oh, this ought to be good," the demi-Saiyan giggled. "Enlighten us, Bardock."

**THERE! Be happy! :P And if you want to know the creeping crud story, I've posted a file of sorts for History oneshots. There will be more… oh yes, there WILL be more! :D Please R&R, I'm trying my best to get this story moving once more, but I keep hitting mental roadblocks. Thanks to Amanda and Ana for being the BEST betas in the world! I LOVE YALL!**


	25. Chapter 25

**FINALLY! WOO! Without further ado, the next chapter of History! And please, people, R&R! PLEASE? Love yall that do!**

Attracted by sounds of a baby laughing, farting noises, and what could simply not be her mate making "om-nom" sounds, Bulma cracked opened the door to see her mate doing just that.

"Om nom nom nom nom… I'm gonna eat that baby," Raditz chuckled, bending his head to nibble at Veggie's stomach. The baby responded with squeals of laughter when his uncle blew a raspberry on his tummy and backed his head away, starting all over again, much to the baby's delight.

Bulma watched for several minutes, stifling the urge to laugh until Raditz started doing the theme from Jaws, using the words "om nom." "No, don't stop!" She laughed at him, when he turned red and stared at her. "It's so adorable!"

No longer entertained, Veggie grabbed handfuls of Raditz's hair and began to climb on it like a jungle gym. "Gods, brat, watch the grip!" He grumbled good-naturedly.

"Can you just imagine like, a dozen of those climbing in your hair at only four weeks old?" Bulma teased. "There's definitely more than enough room in that mane of yours for twelve babies."

"Gods, woman, we'd have to do a headcount every hour just to make sure one of them didn't get tangled up and lost." He grinned and pulled her in for a kiss when she laughed so hard that she snorted. "That noise is awfully cute coming out of you."

"Hm, well I have other noises that I'm sure you'd like better." Bulma jumped when she felt his fingers snaking up to her ribs, and stiffened when he grinned and held her in place with his tail. "Don't you dare, Raditz…" she warned.

He laughed evilly as he began to tickle her and she writhed beneath him, screaming with laughter for him to stop. And when he finally did, he nibbled at her belly, making more om nom sounds, trailing his mouth to the hemline of her pants.

"Heh, am I about to be eaten by a giant monster radish?"

A single black brow rose as he grinned against her creamy skin. "If you behave, woman."

Veggie slid down out of the thick black hair he was climbing and landed on Bulma's stomach, lifting his own t-shirt to bare his belly. "OM NOM!"

It was Usagi's turn to walk in and stare at the scene unfolding before her: her son lying on Bulma's belly, making funny eating noises while he tickled her, while Raditz did the same to the baby's back, making the same noises. Not even wanting to know what was going on, she walked right back out. At least Veggie was entertained.

Once Bulma was breathless and flushed from the laughter, she looked up at Raditz lovingly, and he swore to himself that she'd never looked more beautiful. Veggie was climbing back into his hair, so he bent his mouth to lick and nibble at her stomach, wishing that his child was in there, moving and growing.

Bulma sensed his thoughts and blushed; she'd put him off the night before for a reason, which she was still keeping to herself. He'd been disappointed, had even tried to seduce her, but she'd just barely managed to resist.

He'd know soon enough, though; very soon, if her count was correct, and Bulma was never wrong at math.

#########################

Raditz waltzed into the kitchen to try and ambush his mate, who had denied him sex for three days and was avoiding him at every turn. He could sense through the bond that she had a good reason for it, that it had nothing to do with something he'd done wrong, and that she just wanted him to be patient. But damn it all to hell, this was getting frustrating! The least she could do would be to tell him _why_ she was playing this game of cat and mouse!

Bulma sensed him sneaking up behind her and held up a hand to stop him, shaking a chastising finger in his direction, all without even turning to face him. "Ah, ah, ah. No touchy."

Raditz's tail whipped around him in agitation, snagged her by her thigh, spun her, and pulled her into his arms. That thing had a mind of its own, and sometimes he could swear that his beast had total control over that fuzzy appendage. "I'm done waiting, woman. I want you now," he purred, bending his face to nuzzle her mark. Then he turned his head to kiss her neck, and her scent hit him like a sack of rocks, causing him to stiffen from head to toe and his eyes to dilate as his beast rose to the surface. "Dear gods, woman," he rasped out, as the kisses on her neck turned to nips and bites.

Bulma wore a knowing smile as she slipped her hand down his chest to stroke him through his fatigues, and was unsurprised to find him rock hard and ready for her. "I'm fertile, I know."

"If you have any birth control lying around, woman, I hope it's hidden," Raditz growled, as he felt his inner-self slipping in the wake of his animal nature.

Bulma pulled back and locked eyes with him, trembling a little from nerves. "Raditz… I haven't taken it in… in four days." She swallowed when he just stared at her with nothing but raw lust in his eyes. "If… if you still want…" She blinked when he suddenly released her and turned around to dig in the fridge for a moment, but he turned around with something in his hand and grabbed her by her wrist to drag her to their room before she could ask what it was.

Raditz tugged her around and pushed her onto the bed as soon as he'd closed and locked the door, and revealed an enormous can of whipped cream in his fist. "Woman, I am going to cover you in this from head to toe, and you're going to hold still the entire time, you understand me?"

Wide-eyed, Bulma just nodded and licked her lips in anticipation. "And then?"

"And then," he growled seductively, as he climbed on the bed next to her, "I'm going to lick every bit of it off of you while you lay there and enjoy it. Only when it's all gone will I take you."

"Sounds good," she squeaked.

##############################

Usagi rubbed her eyes blearily as she padded into the kitchen for a late-night snack to boost her milk supply; that little heathen brat of hers most definitely had the appetite of a Saiyan, now that he was weaned off of her ki, and she could barely keep up with his needs for more nourishment.

She paused as she spied the dim light on in the kitchen, and turned the corner to see a pair of feet beneath the open door of the fridge. "Raditz?" She asked, as she felt his ki signature. "You're up awfully—" Usagi blinked and couldn't help but give him an appreciative stare when he closed the refrigerator door. He was naked, and aroused, and—"what the…? Is that whipped cream, Radu?"

"This is **exactly **what it looks like," he answered with a tiny smirk.

"At least you're honest," she said with a shrug.

He held out the can of whipped cream. "Want some?"

She laughed and shook her head. "I know where it's been, thanks. You'd better get back to your mate, too. You're starting to melt a little… and I'm **not **cleaning that up, by the way."

"Hm… yes, I'd better move. It took half the can just to cover it all… and I'll get the mess later on," he added with a grumble as he strode out, giving Usagi an excellent view of his taut backside. "Damn it, I'm leaving a trail," he groaned, still in earshot, and the princess giggled.

"We'll know where to find you at least!" She assured him, throwing a towel over the drips in front of the fridge. She knew where that mess had come from, and she'd be damned if she was going to get anything that had come into contact with his cock all over her socks.

She heard the door to the bedroom down the hall open, and burst into hysterics when she heard Raditz's voice again. "Woman, you've made me make one hell of a mess, and you're going to clean it up. Start with what I've got left on me before I wind up melting on the bed."

"Yes _sir_," came Bulma's reply, a low throaty purr. Usagi laughed harder, but stopped at the thought of Vegeta wearing all that whipped cream. Hmm, yeah… her voice would probably sound like that too, if she was faced with his dessert-covered arousal.

"And I'm suddenly in the mood for chocolate sauce," she chuckled softly, yanking a bottle from the shelf before padding back to his bedroom. Geta was about to get one hell of a wakeup.

#############################

Rei grumbled as she felt someone shaking her almost violently, and out of instinct, her hands erupted into flames and she shoved at a hard, muscular chest. A flash of pain in her mind made her open her eyes and gasp in horror—she'd nearly set her mate on fire! "Oh shit, Turles, I'm so sorry! Hold still, just let me—" She batted out the smoldering tank top quickly and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Gods woman, you were totally out cold," he chuckled, lifting her out of the space pod and into his arms. "You can make this up to me, I think." He grinned when she blinked at him sleepily, and he lowered her onto the forest floor, making short work of her top and fatigues. "Mmm, woman… I've missed you."

Now that she knew what he was talking about—how couldn't she when he'd just stripped her naked?—she unbuttoned his pants and drug him down to her as she twined her tail with his. "Missed you, too," she whispered, just before claiming his mouth with her own. She broke away, moaning as he slid inside of her, and arched into him helplessly when he slammed inside of her. "_Really _missed you," she sighed, gripping his hips as they began to hook into hers at a hard pace.

Turles waited until she'd had her pleasure several times before allowing himself to take his own, and he only did so because of the high-level energy signatures approaching them rapidly. "Damn it," he groaned, just as he came, "we'll have to finish this reunion later."

Rei smiled up at him in satisfaction and gave him a slow nod. "Looking forward to it, beloved. Come on," she purred, nuzzling his chest, "let's get dressed before we give Usagi a nosebleed. I'm pretty sure that's her ki I feel at the lead of the pack."

"Oh, come on, Pyro. I'm sure she'd love to see us naked," Turles chuckled. "We can show her just what she's been missing out on."

Rei swept her amethyst eyes up and down him, appreciating the view. "I don't know, beloved. You're pretty horrific, we'd better not scar her for life," she answered smugly, chuckling as he smacked her ass while she pulled on her top.

"I think what you meant was, 'we'd better not blind her from the magnificent glory that goes with being of the House of Bardock.'"

Rei laughed at that and nodded. "Yeah, I hear that Mako's quite the lucky girl."

Turles groaned and tried not to turn green at that statement. "You sure know how to ruin a good afterglow, Pyro."

"You're welcome!" She laughed. She buttoned her fatigues just as a twin streaks of silver and gold flew overhead and double-backed towards them, slowing as they drew closer to the ground. And then she had the arms of an ecstatic princess wrapped around her, and the sound of Usagi's excited chatter in her ears. Funny, how she'd missed that sound so much. "Yes, yes, I'm awesome for coming here," Rei snorted, as she lightly shoved the princess off of her and looked around.

"I'm awesome too," Turles snorted.

"No, you're not. Just me." Rei grinned and winked at Usagi, who was laughing at the exchange, but the grin was wiped off of her face when her eyes fell on the warrior behind her mistress. "Oh shit. Forgive me, Highness." She bowed her head in respect. "Rei. First Class Elite and Althean firestarter."

Vegeta smirked a little at the sight of her. With that hair, she could pass as full-blooded, if her frame wasn't so petite. Deceptively petite, at that. If she was Elite, she could definitely hold her own better than men twice her size. "You keeping Turles in line? He was quite the little prick when I was a brat."

"I'm still a prick. Just a lot bigger," Turles grunted, as he used his scouter to locate his father and brothers.

"Whoa, wait a second!" Rei cried, spinning Usagi around to stare at a backpack type of contraption. In it was an infant that couldn't have been more than a few weeks old, sleeping soundly as if it were used to lots of loud noises and Saiyan outbursts. Judging from his parents' uncontrollable mouths, the noise probably lulled him to sleep. "He can't possibly be yours… can he?" She gaped for a moment at her mating mark, then turned her head to regard Vegeta. "I knew Raditz was going to make a move off-world, but I didn't think you'd actually let him, Usa!"

Vegeta growled and folded his arms over his chest. "_Everyone_ assumes the brat's Raditz's… I swear that's annoying me to no end."

Usagi chuckled and explained the Hyperbolic Time Chamber while Rei just looked at the baby in wonder, obviously debating on whether or not she wanted to wait ten years to have one. "He's perfect, Usa."

"Of course he's perfect, he's Vegeta's son," Usa replied, giving him a wink and a tiny smile. "He sure looks like him in the face."

"And you'd better abstain from having any of your mate's children, woman. There's already two ugly-ass Saiyans on this planet that look just like him, and we don't want any more," Vegeta deadpanned.

"Well, Raditz is the pretty one in the family, maybe the brat would look like him," Rei laughed as she scooped her duffel out of her pod.

"Ugh, don't remind me," Usagi and Vegeta said at once. "Radu's got a brat on the way," the princess added. When Rei's eyes widened at that, she shook her head. "Come on, we'll lead the two of you there, we're all staying at a huge compound to the south."

Raditz jumped on his brother and hugged him the moment he landed, and as expected, was shoved right onto his ass. "Aw, you didn't miss me, Hurley Turley? I missed you!"

"Shut the fuck up, Radu," Turles snorted, but not without a flicker of a smirk on his mouth. "So, you're going to be a father?"

"Yup. Bulma's inside right now, taking a nap. A forced nap," he added with a grumble. "We've got another brother now, too. Mako delivered Kale a week ago, and Father still won't let her get out of the bed."

"She bled out too much," Usagi sighed, when Turles and Rei both looked to her in concern. "She'll be fine, and the brat's perfectly healthy, but she needs more rest. She doesn't make more blood cells as fast as the lot of us, and neither Bulma nor I was sure if we could give her our blood."

"She can have mine, most likely," Rei said. "I'll give Ami a call and see what Mako's blood type is. For now, show me where to dump my gear. I'd like to go see her right now and check in on her."

##########################

Slamming the door behind her a little harder than necessary, Ami took a deep, shaky breath before sliding to the floor, cradling her daughter in her arms. The baby looked huge—like she could be almost six months old if she were full-blooded Althean—but in reality, she'd only been out of the growth tank for a week and was only just starting to hold her head up on her own. Yet again, for an Althean, that would have been early, but it was right on schedule for a Saiyan baby.

"Ami!? Ami, what's wrong!"

The waterwalker let Mina's mate hold her tightly for a m oment, just long enough for her to get the shaking under control, before she slowly pulled away. "Nothing… nothing's wrong. I—I just got a little spooked, that's all. Don't worry about it." Ok, it was more than that, a deep seeded dread had filled her, and she'd gotten the unmistakable feeling that she was being watched. And not just her—her baby as well.

"Ami, I'm not retarded. You're terrified. What happened?"

"I—I don't know," she finally admitted. "One moment, I'm in the market, the next… I never even saw anyone, but I got the undeniable feeling that I was about to be killed."

"Hey, I believe you, I'm not one to doubt a mother's intuition." Broly whipped out his scouter and immediately patched through to Nappa. He was quick to report without scaring the bigger man too badly, and assured him his mate and daughter were safe and sound and waiting for pickup.

Nappa was there in moments, cradling his mate tightly to his chest while he was careful not to squeeze her so hard that he woke up a sleeping Cicely. He placed a kiss on top of the baby's head, who was resting against her mother's shoulder, and stroked her little black spikes out of her face. "Where did you start to feel uneasy?"

Ami sighed and hung her head. "Near the Althean quarter market," she admitted. "I… I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, it's one thing to let a Saiyan take you to bed and even claim you. But it's a wholly different matter to willingly bear his child. At least it is since the war started.

"Gods, I almost wish she didn't have my damned hair," Nappa muttered. He sensed Broly tensing beside him and patted him on the shoulder. "Calm down, boy. Your mate's safe, right? Has she felt or seen anything unusual?"

"No, she hasn't," Broly said without any emotion. "But she's heard some things in that same market, so she's been keeping quiet about the brats." He nodded silently when Nappa and Ami stare at him. "She's just starting to show. Don't say anything, she's been horrified at the idea of something happening to either of them, and it's going to be a hard enough pregnancy without the extra worry."

"Twins? Oh my God, Broly, Mina should be seeing me for medical treatment!" Ami yelled. "Are the both of you fucking crazy!?"

"We were deciding on when to tell you," Broly sighed. "I already took her twice to the medwing to have them check her out, and I made sure there weren't any of your people present. Only the palace doctor, so we should be safe from anyone finding out."

Nappa gave him a smirk and nodded towards Ami. "I suggest that we share our mates while each of us is in the ring, boy."

Broly actually cracked up at that and waggled his eyebrows. "Really now? I don't know, I seem to be getting the better end of the deal, since my mate is constantly throwing up."

Ami rolled her eyes. "Perverts, the lot of you, I swear. It's not a bad idea, though. Nappa leaves for training, and I stay here. Vice-versa for Mina. "

"It's a deal then," Broly said. "Strength in numbers, at least until we root out the threat and crush it."

########################

Emerald met violet, and both sets of eyes smiled.

"Rei, hey there," Mako said weakly. She let Usagi help her sit up and rubbed at the bags under her eyes. "When did your pod land?"

"About an hour ago. How are you feeling?"

Mako rested her back against some pillows when Bardock came in and made sure that she was propped up, and she gave him a grateful smile. "Exhausted, honestly, even with Bardock doing most of the work. I Just feed the baby when he's hungry, that's about it. I guess I'm not recovering as fast as I thought I would from bearing a Saiyan baby, being full-blooded Althean."

Bardock stepped out for a moment and came back in with a sleeping Kale cradled in his arms, since he knew it was only a matter of minutes before Rei asked to see him. That's what the women always wanted at some point when they stopped by, and he'd gotten pretty used to it. "Here, I know you were going to ask at some point."

Not sure how to gracefully refuse, Rei took the baby in her arms and blushed a little at how nice it felt to hold one.

"Oh, I know that look," Mako chuckled weakly. "I heard you and Turles were mated now, are you two trying yet?"

"Oh, gods no. We both agreed beforehand that we didn't want kids for years. But…" Rei sighed. "I have to admit it's nice to hold a brat like this." She smiled a little as she smoothed Kale's hair away from his face. "You know, he looks like Raditz."

"Gods, don't remind me," Bardock groaned, while his mate giggled hysterically. "I just hope he isn't half the whore his brother is."

"Ye gods, the entire planet would be impregnated with half-breeds," Rei snorted. "Vegeta-sai would finally get its takeover of Earth, only it'd be non-hostile."

"I know!" Usagi laughed. "We'd breed the humans out and accomplish Kakarot's mission for him!"

"It's a lot of work, but I'm sure Raditz and little Kale here would be up for the job of fucking every human woman on the planet," Rei added, purring low in her throat as the baby snuggled into her chest and started rooting around, looking for the breasts hiding behind her tank top. "See, this one's fixated on tits already. Give him another fifteen years and we can begin the new mission."

"He's a boob man, for sure," Mako agreed. "Just like his father. Give him here when he starts fussing, it's about time for him to eat anyway."

Rei looked so reluctant to give him up that Usagi unstrapped Veggie and offered him up when Kale let out a whine. "Here, woman, switch off. You can hold this one, he sleeps like a fucking rock and he finished eating right before you landed."

The firestarter blushed as she handed Mako her son and took Usagi's instead. "Is it that obvious?"

"Hey, you're a woman, Rei. Your biological clock ticks, same as the rest of us," Usagi chuckled. The princess smiled when Veggie felt tits on his face and started doing the same as his cousin had, nuzzling and rooting around for food. He was full, though, so it didn't last long before he dozed back off, his lips moving in his sleep as he dreamed of more boobies. "You can just give him back if he wakes. He's a hard sleeper."

"I can't get pregnant just yet," Rei sighed. "Hell, I just got promoted to Elite."

"And we're going to need you as reinforcements," Usagi huffed. She wondered briefly how her son from the future was doing, and prayed that he was safe and coming back as he'd planned. Poor damned kid.

"Reinforcements for what?"

####################

Turles groaned a little when his brother got through explaining the incoming threat, and gratefully took another beer from Chi-Chi when she offered it. "I feel like throwing up. Stronger than a Legendary… dear gods, what the fuck are we going to do?"

"We keep training," Raditz said firmly, before Kakarot could even open his mouth, his mouth set in a serious line that he rarely used anymore. "If Father, Kakarot, Vegeta, and Usagi can all make Legendary, then we sure as hell can, too. I'm putting my money on you as the next one to make it, Turley. Or Gohan."

"Oh, come on, Radu!" Goku said affectionately. "Don't be so hard on your own abilities! You'll get there too, I'm sure!"

"Eventually," he grunted, still dead serious. "But if you thought that I was strong when we first met, little brother, you haven't seen Turley fight. We need you to focus on helping him get there, you and Father both. You'll all work with Gohan as well. I'll continue to work with Vegeta and Usa, since something tells me that Rei's going to want to join in and become the princess's new sparring partner."

"We could always call home for reinforcements?" Turles suggested. "I mean, if I'm close to Super Saiyan, then Broly's probably already there. Nappa can't be far either, or His Majesty. Gods," he groaned, resting his head on the table for a moment. "I need to call and report, too."

"Ugh, the king's going to shit himself screaming for us to get his son and daughter home, I'll bet, once he hears about the threat."

"He'll tell us all to come home," Turles agreed with a nod.

Goku frowned at his brothers and shook his head. "I'm staying; if you two want to pussy out and head back, then do it." He didn't expect them both to snarl at him simultaneously, and blinked in surprise.

"We're not going, Kakarot," Raditz stated firmly. "My mate and my life are here on Earth; Bulma's made it clear she doesn't want to live anywhere else."

"So, we'll just neglect to report the incoming attack?" Turles asked with a hint of mirth. "If he ever finds out, I'm swearing up and down that it was your idea, Radu."

Goku relaxed and chuckled in relief; for a moment there, he'd honestly thought his newfound family was going to tuck tail and run, but it seemed that they were a lot more like himself than either of them would admit. "Tell him I went Super Saiyan and threatened to rip off your balls if you squealed. It was all my idea."

##########################

Usagi looked up when she felt a ki she hadn't felt in over a month, and smiled softly at the baby latched onto her breast, suckling greedily. "I think you just arrived, Veggie," she chuckled. "Shall we go meet yourself?" She carefully separated her nipple from the baby's mouth, he'd been slowing down anyway, an indicator that he was pretty much done eating, and was merely dozing.

Sure enough, his eyes were drooping when his mother tugged her tank top back into place and cradled him against her as she flew out the balcony door and landed on the ground outside. A large contraption with the Capsule Corp insignia stood not too far away, and sure enough, Trunk was climbing out of it.

"Boy," Usagi drawled affectionately as she approached.

Trunks smiled and hugged her tightly once she was within reach. "Mother." He looked down at the bundle in her arms and sighed with relief. "So, this is me."

"Yes, Future Veggie, this is Little Veggie. You want to hold yourself?" Usagi chuckled when he held out his arms, and gently laid him in his arms. "Well, what do you think?"

"He's perfect." Trunks suddenly blushed at that statement and found himself laughing right along with Usagi.

"Think pretty highly of yourself, eh?" They both erupted into fits of giggles at that, ignoring Vegeta's ki as it drew closer.

"Ok, Big Veggie, time to keep up pretenses. The biggest Veggie is about to land, and I don't know how he's going to take the news that you're his son."

With that said, a streak of gold flashed across the sky and promptly landed between Trunks and Usagi. "I'd advise you to keep your hands off my mate," Vegeta snarled. "And why are you holding my brat?"

Usagi chuckled, shoved Vegeta out of the way, and carefully took a sleeping Vegeta Jr. from his future self. "I let him hold Veggie, Geta. That's all." She brushed her lips against his, and he visibly relaxed… just a little. "Shoo, Geta. Let me talk to the boy for a minute, alright?" She led him inside once Vegeta had huffed something about not touching his mate, and stopped at the fridge and groaned.

Trunks looked down to see a trail of what looks like milk, and burst out laughing, hanging onto the counter to keep from falling over. "Dear Kami, they're still doing that!? Err… doing it already? Whatever!" He cackled.

Usagi joined in when she understood, and shook her head as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm not cleaning this up!" She yelled, still laughing.

"I got it!" Raditz yelled from down the hall, his words coming out breathy and hoarse. "My turn!" He added with a loud moan. "Fuck me running, woman, the things you do with your mouth!" He cried hoarsely.

Trunks wheezed as he tried to stop laughing, but only wound up sitting on the floor, holding his sides. "Oh—Oh my God—just—just like home—"

"Ugh, you poor child," Usagi giggled, as she scooped up a towel and laid it in front of the fridge door. "So," she said with a soft smile, once the threat of stepping in the mess was taken care of, "you've been well?"

"Yes," Trunks said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was in earshot. "And you, Mother?"

"Not too bad. Your cousin Kale was born a few days after you, and—" Usagi frowned in concern when Trunks bit down on his lower lip and looked away from her for a moment. "Trunks, honey? What's wrong?"

Her future son sat down at the table and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mother. It's just… Kale and I, we were raised as brothers for the most part, so thinking of him… it still hurts."

"The androids got him, too," she guessed. "How old was he when he died?" Usagi asked, swallowing the urge to cry for the death of a child that she only knew as an armful of squirming infant.

"We were fifteen. Gohan had been dead for about a year, and Kale and I were out patrolling. He had just made Super Saiyan, the same as myself, when the androids attacked a city not far from our patrol circuit, so we… we were so foolish," he sighed. "We should have called Uncle Raditz and Boxer for backup, but we were a couple of stupid kids, high on our own damned power." Trunks hung his head between his knees and wiped away a couple stray tears. "It was my fault, you know."

Usagi opened her mouth to protest as she sat beside him at the table and soothingly rubbed her hand up and down his back, but he continued before she could say anything.

"Kale said that something didn't seem right when we showed up at the city and there weren't any people there, but I teased him and called him a sissy. He yelled at me for being an asshole, I laughed, and as usual, he followed me right into danger. That was when the first nuke went off. We both ascended immediately and shielded, and we were fine, trying to see through the glare from the flash."

"And that's when they struck," Usagi said quietly, now hugging both of her sons to each of her shoulders.

"Yeah," Trunks whispered hoarsely. "They struck hard and fast, a second bomb went off, and I blacked out. When I came to, Kale was carrying me, and at first he seemed alright, but I could tell he was in pain. We landed a few miles out, and when we did I could see he was mortally wounded. And… I tried so hard to heal him, to use the powers that I know I have inside of me, hiding _somewhere_… but I couldn't get it to work. And since his spark was going out…" Trunks shook his head again. "Even if I could have healed him, he was the only shaker left alive.

"I called Aunt Bulma and Uncle Raditz, and kept Kale warm with my ki while we waited in the dark; I would have carried him, but with what little I learned about healing, I knew he shouldn't be moved. I kept telling him how sorry I was for calling him a sissy, how I was sorry for not listening to him and getting us both the hell out of there, but he just laughed at me and told me it was alright. That he was proud to die protecting the crown prince of our people."

"He died well, Trunks," Usagi whispered into his hair. "The manner of his death was one of the greatest honors among our people. Just don't let that death be in vain, ok? There's still a chance to save him now, before any of that ever happens."

"I know," he choked. "It gives me hope, Mother. Thank you. And it's what Uncle Raditz said, too. That any Saiyan Elite would be proud and ready to die to protect the royal family; that it was his greatest shame in life, not protecting you or Father, even if he was following both of your orders to get me to safety with the other kids."

"When you go home, slap Radu around for me a bit and tell him that he's an ass for thinking he could have saved either of us when he couldn't ascend. I'm not trying to bruise his ego or anything, but damn. That man thinks way too much with his heart, and not enough with his head."

Trunks managed a tiny smile and nodded. "Actually, that's pretty much what I told him."

"Well, I see where you get your brains from at least. Come on, boy, Kakarot's going to want to see you."

**Yes, FINALLY! God, I hate such hellacious fucking writer's block with this damned story! It was making me batshit! So, sorry if I skip POV a bit, things in the next chapter will finally be coming together a bit better now that Trunks has come back and Rei and Turles have landed. PLEASE R&R… while I run off to work on Sacrifice some more :D I know, I'm such a bitch posting two or three updates to that while yall are waiting on this…**


	26. Chapter 26

"Hey, you're back early!" Goku shook hands with Trunks as the younger Saiyan touched down right in front of him, and slapped him affectionately on the back, practically knocking the wind out of him. "Heh, sorry about that. Don't know my own strength lately."

"You've been training?" Trunks asked.

"All the time! And the extra six months in the time chamber with my father didn't hurt, either," he added with a grin. "My older brother, Turles, is so jealous already," Goku chuckled. "He's trying like hell to ascend, along with his mate, but they won't listen to a thing I tell them about using your better emotions to get there."

Trunks just stared at him and blinked. "Turles?" Turles was on Earth, too? He exchanged a look with Usagi, but when she merely shrugged, he shook his head. "Uncle Turles and Aunt Rei weren't here when the androids appeared. Uncle Raditz tried to contact them near the beginning, until we learned that they were tracking all of our scouters. We had to destroy them all on the very first day; it's how they found and engaged my mother the first time."

Usagi smiled at that. "The first time? So I held my own, then?"

Her son frowned and shook his head. "No, you were forced to flee, since you had me on your back. You died the next day, when the androids attacked West City. You fell defending Father and trying to heal him at the same time." He looked to Goku, then. "Are you feeling any symptoms, yet?"

"Nope, healthy as a horse!" He laughed. "I've got the medicine in the desk drawer, though, and Chi-Chi knows about it—don't worry, I only told her about the virus, and that's it—so when it hits, she'll give me the antidote."

"Good. I brought more with me just in case; since everyone died in the first few days, we would have never known if anyone else contracted it from you. Especially you, Mother. You were at Goku's side night and day, trying to heal him and beat back the virus."

"Really?" Usagi simply shook her head. "But… my powers don't work like that. Wounds and injuries I can heal, I can even fight off a tumor… but I can't fight off a virus." She thought about that hard for a moment, but decided it really would be impossible. "I mean, a virus is in your blood, son. I'd have to pinpoint every last bit of it and eradicate it, and if I left even a few cells untouched it would just come right back."

"I know. Aunt Bulma said that you gave the virus a run for its money for a few days, but you just couldn't seem to keep up with how fast it was reproducing in Goku's system. Even Chi-Chi accepted that you'd done all you could; you were so drained by the time he passed away that you nearly died, too. Father and Uncle Radu were feeding you their kis for days afterwards."

"Damn, that long? You must have really given it your all, Usa. Thanks!" Goku said, and hugged her tightly.

Usagi rolled her eyes and snorted, but returned the hug. "Whatever, Kakarot, it's not like I'll have to do it now, so don't go getting all soft on me. Come on, brat, I'm going to drop you off with Mako if she's not too busy, and then you and I are going to train," she said to Trunks with a feral little grin.

Trunks swallowed and nodded, both ecstatic at getting to finally train with the woman he'd been aching to know all his life, and sufficiently intimidated by the expression on her face; it predicted a major ass-kicking in his near future.

"I'll come with you," Goku said cheerfully, lifting into the air with both of them. "Father and I were going to spar today, too. It's so nice to have a partner that I can go all out with!"

"Bardock's as strong as you, too?" Trunks asked in surprise.

"Yup, I beat him to within an inch of his life in the time chamber," he cackled, "but it was at his insistence, so I let him have it. And when he healed up, he was a lot stronger, almost even with me, in fact. Now we're pretty much equal." Goku's mouth turned into a genuine smile. "I'm so glad I finally got to meet him and train with him. He's really awesome."

"Get all girly like that in front of him, and he'll be more than happy to make you eat your words," Usagi chuckled. "I've been on the receiving end of one of Bardock's beatings, Kakarot. Don't forget that he's a proud Saiyan warrior."

"Oh, I know that. But it doesn't mean he isn't a good man and an all-around decent guy." There was a glint of dark Saiyan humor in his eyes as he turned his head against the wind to look at her. "At least he is when he's not trying to feed me his fist for breakfast."

"Well, Kakarot, you'd best return the Saiyan hospitality of feeding a guest."

"Oh I will! With my foot right in his ass!" He poured on the speed when Bardock's cottage came into view, and when he saw the older Saiyan just standing outside the house, he barreled into him at full speed, the collision throwing Bardock into the air with his son right on top of him, trying like hell to bring the pain.

Trunks watched all of this, more than a little awe-struck at the sight when both of them erupted into lightning-streaked golden flames and were apparently matching each other blow for blow once Bardock got over his surprise. "Wow."

Usagi just shrugged. "Eh. You should see them when they're pissed off. This is nothing, they're both in cheerful moods. Well… cheerful is a loose term when you're talking about Bardock, but right now he's probably as happy as he usually gets. Unless he's getting laid, anyway. But that's all Saiyan males."

"I've gleaned that much from being around Uncle Raditz," Trunks snorted, the noise sounding just like his mother's own snort of amusement. "He's always happiest after a whipped-cream incident, or when he's being fed. Or when he's winning the crown," he added with a chuckle. "Oh." Trunks blushed a little when his mother gave him a questioning look. "It's a game we play back home, that's all."

"Oh? And you win a crown?" Usagi giggled at that. "I'm sure your father would love to play it, in that case. What are the rules? Is it like a king of the mountain type of sparring match?"

"Oh, no. You see, we don't have TV at home, and you can only watch the same videos over and over before you're a little crazy from it, so it's a game we play for entertainment. I'll um… explain it another time, maybe. It's so stupid that it's a little embarrassing." Trunks was relieved when his mother just gave him a little shrug and flew down below him towards the house; the last thing he wanted to do was introduce this game to a whole new group of overly-creative Saiyans.

Usagi wasn't surprised to find Mako's kitchen full of hungry Saiyans, and giggled when Gohan came up behind the thundershaker and called her grandma. "I hope I look that young when I have a grandchild Gohan's age," she teased.

"Ah, let the kid call me that. I like it. Here, honey, just don't tell your mother," she told him, slipping him a couple cookies from the counter.

"Thank, Grandma!" Gohan giggled, hugging her leg before going back to the table to nom on his prizes.

"Any cookies for us, Grandma?" Usagi teased, reaching around her to nick one. She yelped a bit when she got a light shock, and glared at Mako when the baby cried. "Smooth, Mako. Real smooth."

"Oh, gods, Usagi, I'm so sorry!" She said quickly, moving around the woundbinder to unstrap Veggie. "Come here, pumpkin," Mako cooed, rocking him gently. "Aunt Mako's sorry, she didn't mean to shock **you**, she just wanted to smack your mommy's greedy little paw!" She stuck her finger in a melted chocolate chip and then stuck it in Veggie's mouth, effectively shutting him up. "There we go, sweetness. That's good, isn't it? Here, we'll let you play with your cousin for a little while," she soothed as she carried him to a playpen in the corner and sat him down. She turned to find Trunks standing behind her, looking down at the long-haired, green-eyed baby in wonder. "Oh, hey. Who are you?"

"Ve—uh, Trunks. So, that's Kale?" He asked softly.

Mako smiled and nodded. "Every last twenty-five Saiyan pounds of him. The little heifer, he eats as much as his father, I swear."

"So he's… Bardock's son?"

Mako snorted and whacked him with a wooden spoon. "Of course he is, and if you even mention that he looks like Raditz, you'd better be prepared for a pounding, boy. Bardock said his father had long hair like that, but Raditz and Vegeta keep giving him shit," she added with a roll of her eyes. The way he kept staring at the baby made her smile softly. "You want to hold him?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I wouldn't want to be any trouble," he said quickly, but before he could word another protest, Mako had dumped her squirming son in his arms. Kale looked up at him for a moment, making eye contact, before purring loudly and nuzzling into Trunks's chest, his tail wrapping around his wrist.

"Wow! Usa, come look at this! Kale usually zaps the shit out of strangers!" Mako exclaimed. "Look, he's actually dozing off!"

Trunks felt tears welling up as he walked over to a chair, sat down, and quietly held his cousin while they both purred contentedly. This didn't make up for Kale's death in his timeline, not at all, but it sure made him feel a lot better.

The door opened while he was stroking back the long hair hanging in the baby's face, and they all looked up to see Bardock walk in, bruised and bloody, and place a kiss on his mate's lips.

"Good spar?" Mako chuckled.

"Feh, if you call that a spar," he snorted. "The boy ambushed me and I put him in his place. That'll teach him to fuck with his old man."

Goku walked in, even more beat up than his father, wearing his usual easy grin. "Good spar, Father!" He only chuckled when Bardock snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Why is this boy holding my brat?" Bardock suddenly growled, reaching down to scoop up his son. He made a noise of impatience when Kale let out a scream and grabbed hold of Trunks's hair, apparently damned and determined not to be wrenched from his lap. "What in the hell is this shit?"

"He likes Trunks," Mako said patiently. She strode over and untangled the infant from the wincing time traveler's hair before setting him back in his lap. Kale immediately settled down once more and started purring in contentment.

"He's the boy from the future I told you about, Father. He's come back to help us fight the androids. Don't worry about him, he's like family," Goku said with a smile and wink towards Usagi.

"Speaking of family… come on boy," Usagi chuckled. "Now that Veggie's down, I can give you a proper Saiyan welcome."

"In the form of an ass-kicking," Bardock added with a chuckle as he filled a plate for himself and the baby. "Just stay out of the way when Turles shows up, Kakarot and I are having a three-way match with him after breakfast."

"Ye gods, the triplets," Usagi snorted as she led her son outside.

################################

"Harder," Mina whimpered, lifting her hips as her body pleaded for more. She bit down on Broly's shoulder and moaned at the taste of him, even when he shook his head and continued to make love to her slowly. "Please, Broly, I need you."

"Won't hurt the brats," he whispered in her ear. "Here, beloved… I have what you need." He clamped down on her mark then and sucked, groaning when he felt her tighten around him as she cried out his name. "That's it," he purred.

"Don't stop," Mina begged, gripping his hair to drag him back to the lightly bleeding bite. "Please, Broly." She moaned in ecstasy when he bit down on it harder in response and purred, his chest vibrating against hers, and immediately came again. "Oh gods, not again," she whimpered, arching her back as another climax rode on the heels of the last one.

Broly couldn't hold back anymore when she tightened a third time, and finally let go, spilling into her with a groan and a final, gentle thrust. "Mmm… mine," he whispered happily.

"Definitely yours, monkey man," Mina murmured, basking in the afterglow. "Don't you have to be at the ring soon?"

"Yeah," he sighed, wondering why in the hell he'd been fool enough to ever accept Usagi's offer of acting First. "You'll be home alone until Father and Reiko get back home, ok? Don't leave the house, and if you need anything, just call Nappa."

Mina sat up and sighed, her golden hair pooling around her. "Broly, no one's going to attack me. I'm the leader of the benders and the talkers, and I was always well-loved among my people."

"And so was Ami. If anything, being a leader makes you even more of a target. You're a traitor in their eyes," Broly replied flatly.

"Broly, this isn't a war!" Mina cried in frustration, flopping onto her back again. "And frankly, I'm getting fed up being kept inside all the time! I'm didn't become your mate just so I could become a captive again!"

Broly stared her down, his feelings clearly hurt by her words. "If you feel like a captive, Mina, I'm sorry. You know that's not my intention… I just can't bear the thought of anything happening to you or our brats. I'd… I'd just fucking _**lose**_ it, woman. You don't even _**know**_. Look," he added gently as he sat back down on the bed, "I'll make it up to you. We'll go out to eat tonight. I'm sure Father and Reiko would appreciate being left alone for the evening, anyway. And then I'll talk to the king about maybe getting a day or two of leave. Hell, the old man would probably jump at the chance to lead the Elite again," he chuckled, "even if it's only for a couple days. He's really been chomping at the bit since his son and daughter made Legendary."

"So I've heard. One of the girls at the palace told me that she saw you two sparring, and that you put the king in the tank for a day."

"Shit, he asked for it. The old man told me not to hold back, so I beat the shit out of him. He's clearly trying to take his licks in order to heal up and come back at a higher power level. I'd be doing the same if there was someone that could even take me left on this planet." He rose again and threw on a clean tank top before cracking his knuckles. "Alright, it's already dawn, I'd better get my ass moving," he sighed.

Minako echoed his sigh when he bent down and kissed her thoroughly, his tongue tangling with hers for a long minute. "I'll see you tonight, I guess."

"I tell you what, I'll come home for lunch today. I don't think anyone's going to have a problem with me wanting to spend an hour with my mate." He smiled when he felt her happiness through the bond, and wished he didn't have to be away so much. But he'd taken the mantle of First, and he had a job to do. At least for another few months, anyway. Hopefully Usagi would be back by then.

The king was waiting for him in the ring, as expected, and Broly grinned when he landed. "Ready for another pounding, old man?"

"Bring it, puppy," the king chuckled, taking a fighting stance as he powered up to his maximum. He was much stronger now, nearly as strong as his daughter had been upon her departure, and he regretted not training this hard during the last ten years of his life. Toma had been the one to tell him to stop thinking about it; he couldn't change the fact that he was the king and had other duties to take care of. But now that he wasn't embroiled in a war with Althea—at least, he hoped it wouldn't come to that—he had plenty of time to try and kick Broly's ass in the ring.

A few cheers came from the early risers that were already sitting around the ring, eating their breakfast while they waited their turns. For the Elite, Broly and King Vegeta's fights had become something of an early morning ritual, and were immensely entertaining.

"Before I kick your royal ass, I need a couple days' leave, Majesty," Broly said semi-seriously.

"And who would be in charge of the Elite?" Vegeta snorted. "Nappa's got enough on his plate as it is, boy."

"Oh, _I'm_ sorry," Broly said with a little smirk, "I was under the impression that your elderly ass could handle the Elite for a few days. I guess I'd better get you a cane, old man. Or would you prefer a wheelchair?"

"I'd prefer you on the ground, bleeding at my feet." Vegeta swung then, and actually made contact due to the element of surprise before Broly countered and put him on his back.

Broly wiped the blood from his lip and grinned. "You're still too slow, old man. Care to take this in the air? Maybe it won't be so hard on your knees… since you're going to be on them a lot today."

Vegeta erupted from the ground in a flurry of punches, and hid his surprise when he actually landed a few on his younger opponent. Damn it, he had gotten stronger during his time in the tank! A lot stronger!

Broly grunted in approval when the king landed yet another hit to his face, but not to be outdone, he swiftly broke his nose with a right hook. "I have lunch today with my mate, Majesty. Make sure you let my face stay pretty," he chuckled in between blows.

"Now I'm going to have to try harder to fuck it up, boy," the king snickered, and made sure to focus his punches and kicks mostly at Broly's face. Vegeta was blindsided, however, when Broly vanished in a burst of speed and came in from behind to drive his elbow into the king's spine, laying him low.

"How's the view from those old, arthritic knees?" Broly asked smugly. He coughed suddenly and clutched at his crotch when it felt like a freight train had collided with his nuts, and he promptly fell.

Vegeta shook his fist and managed a tiny smirk at the bugged out expression on his opponent's face. "I don't know, boy… why don't you enlighten me?"

###########################

While her mate was teaching the king about youth and endurance versus age and experience, Mina was groaning at the sight of the near-empty shelves in the pantry. "I could kill the lot of them… Saiyan males are simply hell-bent on devouring everything!" She huffed. "I just went shopping three days ago!"

She checked the time and made a quick decision; the market was only five minutes away, and it was still early enough that no one would be up and about except the shopkeepers. There would be no reason to bother Nappa just so she could shop for fifteen minutes to grab everything she needed for the day; she could shop for the week whenever Broly came home, just before they went to supper. "Ok, maybe thirty minutes," she admitted aloud, "there isn't even enough in there for me to eat breakfast."

Mina muttered a few more choice phrases about gluttonous Saiyans while she got dressed, and quickly darted out the door and into the rays of the early morning sunlight. Practically jogging, she slowed down when she drew a few stares on her way, and nearly sighed with relief when she reached the market. She noticed the few Altheans mixed in with the Saiyan women, all out doing their early morning shopping, and realized that her mate was absolutely right.

Her smiles and nods were returned by some, but not by all, and it felt like the few smiles she got didn't quite reach their eyes. Mina hurried and made her purchases, and while she grabbed some breakfast, she got it in a to go bag; she simply couldn't eat when she felt so many damning eyes on her. She was making her final purchase and shoving the food into her subspace when she felt eyes on her, but before she could turn, a jolt ran through her and sent her to her knees.

Her first thought was for her unborn children as another shock sent her sprawling, and she rolled over to find herself staring at Naro, the thundershaker that had resparked Mako months ago. "Please no," she said quickly. "Naro, it's me, it's Mina!" _**BROLY!**_

"I know who you are, Mina. And you're not going to be allowed to bear more Saiyan spawn. Mating with them is one thing when you're a captive and practically forced to, but that's where we draw the line."

The last thing Mina expected right then was for several Saiyan women to start pounding on Naro and several other Altheans that were with him, but they were, and in her defense, too! She did what she could with the wind to aid them and instructed them to stay off the ground, but the fight was over in minutes when a waterwalker put them down with little effort.

She did the only thing she could then; she ran. But she only made it to the center of the market before a blast of water overtook her and bowled her over. "Please, Naro!" She cried out when he gathered a ball of lightning in his hand. "Please, not my babies! They haven't done anything wrong, Naro, and neither have I! And my mate wasn't even on Althea!"

"Doesn't matter," he said emotionlessly, "he's still Saiyan, and so are your children, Minako. We won't allow any more Althean women to be used as breeding stock for Saiyan warriors. I'm sorry," he added, as he pointed the lightning at her abdomen. "This is going to hurt, Mina. A lot."

Mina refused to close her eyes like a coward and wait for the impending shock that would kill her children; instead, she looked Naro right in the eye with as much hatred as she could muster while she threw the mating bond wide open, hammering away at her mate's mind to hurry, to come as quickly as he could.

That look of quiet defiance made the shaker hesitate for a moment, and it was that moment that saved Broly's progeny. A streak of gold came rocketing out of the sky just then, absorbing the lightning ball meant for Minako as it drove Naro into the ground.

"Broly!" Mina cried, as the blur slowed down just enough for her to make him out. Holy shit, he was blonde! He'd gone Legendary! She saw it all in the furious haze of his mind, how he'd heard her cry while he'd been in the middle of a spar and had immediately shot towards the market. He had then felt her pain and her fear, and in his desperation for more speed, something had clicked inside of him and he found himself able to access a whole new well of power.

The Altheans weren't going down easily though, clearly unintimidated by Broly's transformation, and started to focus on Mina. She bent the light around her, something that required immense concentration, and managed to obscure their vision of her while she used the wind to counter their water attacks.

She didn't have to defend herself long, Broly screamed in rage and turned on the new attackers, throwing Naro's mangled corpse into the foremost assailant before he powered up and fired a huge ki blast at the others.

Mina watched in horror as Broly lifted one of the Altheans, who was just barely alive, and proceeded to beat his face in until his fist was covered in blood and gray brain matter. "Broly, stop it!" She shouted, running towards him at full speed. She suddenly felt herself trapped, held in place, and panicked as she looked around for a waterwalker that would be strong enough to control her blood. "Broly! Broly, what's happening!?"

"You stay put," he snarled at her. He dropped the body he was holding, and growled at the Saiyan women that had come to her defense.

"No, beloved, they defended me!" She yelled, struggling against the ki field that was holding her fast.

The women all jumped back when Broly powered up another blast and aimed it their way; clearly the Elite First was so blinded by rage and the power of a Legendary that he could no longer tell friend from foe. The only person he recognized was his own mate.

"STOP, BROLY!" A male voice yelled from behind him.

Paragus regarded his son with a mixture of pride and terror when Broly turned and there wasn't so much as a hint of recognition in those cold green eyes. "You're scaring the life out of your mate, and the threat is neutralized, boy!"

"And that ki field around her isn't good for the brats, either," Reiko added as she caught up to her mate. "Let her go, Broly. We need to get her home and to a healer."

"Althean," the Super Saiyan snarled at her, flexing his fist.

"Yes, and you're going to wind up short a testicle when I'm done with you if you don't stop this nonsense," Reiko replied fearlessly. "Boy," she warned, when he reformed the ki ball he'd absorbed, "I'm not your enemy, but I will be in a moment if you don't cut the shit."

_**BROLY!**__ That is your father's mate! _Mina yelled in his mind. She sent waves of love and comfort to him through the bond, and was a little surprised when he looked at her for a long moment. There was a flicker of her mate in his eyes, and in that split second, he powered down and the ki field around her fell.

Mina barely made it to her mate's side in time when he suddenly passed out, and was grateful when Paragus helped her to keep him from falling. "What… what happened to him?" She asked, choking on a sudden flood of tears. "It wasn't him, Paragus. That was **not** my Broly."

"The sudden flood of extra power made him a little crazy, I think," he guessed. "Combined with the rage of seeing you under attack… it made for a very volatile combination." Paragus turned when he felt another high ki level land behind him, and gave Nappa a grave nod. "I've never been happier to see you."

Nappa carefully set his mate on her feet and kissed the top of her head. "Go check Minako, beloved. Mind that you don't slip in the blood," he whispered in her hair. Once he was sure that Ami was skirting the puddles of blood and guts, Nappa moved to check the Elite First. "He seems fine, for the most part… he did it, didn't he? He made it to the next level."

Paragus nodded. "I fear that the power may have made him mad."

"He—he stopped when I—when I used the b—bond," Mina sobbed. "I—I'm so—so sorry!"

"Shh, sweetie, it's alright," Reiko whispered gently, as she held Mina tightly and rocked her in her arms. "You're fine, and Broly will be, too."

"Minako," Ami asked softly, "were you hurt at all?"

"Just some l—low level sh—shocks," Mina choked out, "nothing s—stronger than what M—Mako used to g—give me."

Ami nodded, the twins would likely be fine in that case, so long as Mina could keep it together and not go into shock. "I want to take you back to the palace and check the babies, ok? Just to be sure. I'm fairly positive they're alright, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Ami hugged her tightly when she just nodded and buried her face in Reiko's chest once more. "Nappa, we're going to take her back for testing," she called out.

Nappa just nodded before realizing that there were four people to carry and only two of them. Paragus was apparently coming to the same conclusion, and shook his head. "I'll call a friend to carry Reiko," he offered.

"Bullshit," Reiko snorted, "I might not fly as fast as you boys, but I can do it just fine, thank you. Beloved, you carry our son, I'll carry our daughter—and yes, I'm strong enough, thank you very much—and Nappa carries Ami. Hang on tightly, honey, I've got you," Reiko told Mina as she powered up to her maximum and hefted the blonde into her arms. "Come on, boys," she ordered, "I ain't got all day."

Paragus suppressed a chuckle, and only because he was lifting his unconscious, possibly insane son into his arms. But damn it if that woman couldn't bark orders like a Saiyan commander, and have them heeded at that, too!

Warriors cleared a path for them as they landed at the palace and marched straight to the infirmary, where Broly was promptly placed in a medtank for evaluation and Mina was laid on an exam table right next to him.

"Are you sure we shouldn't tank her, too?" Nappa asked in worry; just the thought of Broly's twins being in danger made him want to find his daughter in the nursery and hold her tightly. That baby was everything to him, and it was terrifying to think that it could have been her life in danger that morning.

"Shh, Nappa, I already called and checked. Cicely is just fine," she whispered softly.

"No," Paragus answered Nappa, "unless she or the brats are in actual danger, Broly does _**not **_need to wake and find her tanked. Not if his sanity's in question. The first thing he needs to see is his mate awake and well and waiting for him."

"He's right," Reiko agreed, "if he wakes up and sees that she's fine, it'll calm him down."

As if on cue, Ami quickly performed an ultrasound on Mina, and once she'd declared both of the fetuses to be just fine, the blonde's weeping lost its scary edge.

"Now that we know the brats are fine," Nappa grunted, "I want to know what the fuck you were doing out by yourself?" He sighed when Minako only shook her head and cried harder. "Fine, we'll discuss it later, but don't think for a moment that I'm dropping the subject permanently."

"Back off, Nappa," Ami and Reiko both snapped at him, and the huge Saiyan actually took a step back from the pair. Apart, either woman could be scary, but together they were terrifying. "In fact," Ami added, more than a little annoyed with the fact that her mate had further upset the bender, "why don't you make yourself useful and go find Minako something to eat?"

When Nappa hesitated, Paragus smirked and nodded towards the door. "Sounds like the lady put you in timeout, Nappa. You'd better follow orders."

"Shut the fuck up," Nappa muttered, already on his way out to do his mate's bidding.

By the time he returned with the tray of food, Mina's weeping had abated, and she wore a semi-blank expression, mostly thanks to the sedative that Ami had given her. She barely picked at her food, however, as she continued to do as Reiko and Paragus had instructed her, sending waves of comfort, love and safety to her unconscious mate.

Another hour later, she was sending another one of those waves when she suddenly felt some sort of a flickering reply, and despite the sedative she jumped to her feet and pressed her nose to the tank. When Broly's eyes cracked open and stared into hers, she smiled gently at him and sighed in relief. _Just hold still, beloved, we'll get you out in a moment, _she assured him; she could feel his internal fight not to struggle and rip the tubing from his nose and mouth and break free of the tank, but he stayed put because she'd asked him to.

When the tank was finally drained and opened, Mina caught him when he stumbled out, and held him tightly to her as she stroked his soaked hair. "I was so worried, beloved. How are you feeling?"

Broly shook his head in confusion. "I don't know… drained," he admitted. "What happened?" He blinked and looked at his mate in suspicion when he sensed her mind go purposely blank, blocking him out. "Tell me," he growled, pulling back to glare at her. "Minako…" Her mate shuddered and clutched at her tightly when she reopened the bond, and all of that day's events came flooding into his head.

Mina trembled when his ki suddenly spiked around her in response, and his hair flickered to gold for a moment, then black, then back to gold, and she heard him emit a low snarl from the back of his throat. Immediately, she sent him waves of comfort and love, and when he tried to let go of her and stand, she jerked him back down to her. "No," she whispered, "stay with me, beloved. I feel safe with you."

The Super Saiyan nodded once and held her tightly again, purring comfort for her as he nipped at her lower lip. "Safe," he growled hoarsely. "Safe with me."

Mina gave a silent nod to Reiko and Paragus before speaking again. "Take me home, Broly. I just want to go home."

Never one to deny his mate, even in his seemingly half-crazed state, Broly dutifully scooped his mate into his arms and stalked out of the infirmary, launching them towards home the moment he was at an open window.

**BWAHAHAHAHAHA! So… is Broly permanently crazy…? Maybe only if he hears Kakarot whining… I'll try to update again soon, yall, I promise! And if you get a chance, check out SeleneA's new fic, Love Shack. Yours truly wrote the smut, Ana Frost came up with idea, and Selene herself is writing the story! It's so much fun! Smutty smut smut smut!**


	27. Chapter 27

**YAY! *does the Kermit wave* I've got a note on the bottom for yall, so I'll just go ahead and skip to the fun stuff! R&R and I'll post 28 a lot faster! Maybe a one shot or two as well, since Ana and Selene have given me several ideas! :D**

Usagi blinked when something in her pocket beeped loudly, and that moment of inattention was paid for with a punch to the face. "Time out, boy!" She barked, absently rubbing her jaw as she dug her scouter out and put it on.

"Oh God, Mother, I'm so sorry!" Trunks said in horror; they'd only just been warming up, and he'd actually struck her!

She blinked at him, focusing around her screen, and smirked. "Boy, the day I can't take a punch to the face is the day I'm no longer an Elite… let alone the First." Then her eyes were drawn back to the screen, and she blinked. "Father?" Immediately, she scowled in anger as she recalled their previous conversation; they hadn't spoken since the day after her son had been born, and she still seethed whenever she thought about it.

"We'll talk about that later, girl," King Vegeta said quickly, "this is urgent. I need you and my son to return to Vegeta-sai immediately. We… have a bit of a problem with the acting First."

"Broly?" Usagi asked, her anger momentarily forgotten. Vegeta sure looked awfully worried, so what…? "Oh dear gods… not the twins? What happened!? What's wrong with them!? Did Mina lose them!?"

"No, thank the gods. If those brats had been harmed… dear gods, girl, I don't even want to think of what may have happened. In short, Mina was attacked, and in his rage, Broly achieved Legendary status. But the power's made him insane. We've tried everything in the last three days, girl, and he's still unresponsive to anything but his mate. Nappa's mate suggested that you may be able to help… and also act as an intermediary between the Altheans and ourselves."

"Oh, no," Usagi whispered, putting two and two together. "How many Altheans did he kill?"

"Seven, so far. Even seeing Reiko or Ami sets him off. He killed the five that attacked his mate, then two more when he was taking her home later on. She barely stopped him from destroying the entire Althean market. She hasn't left his side since then, and seems to be the only thing that will calm him down."

"I don't know if my healing ki will be able to do any good, Father… and I'm three months away as it is."

"I know. But that should be enough time before his mate goes to childbed and has to be separated from him." The king frowned and shook his head. "I'm worried, girl. If something happens to Mina while she's in labor…"

"The whole planet, yeah," she finished for him. "Hang on, Father." She looked to Trunks, who was poking her in the shoulder repeatedly. "What, boy!?"

"Sorry for eavesdropping, Mother… but… couldn't Goku just IT you there?" Trunks blinked when Usagi suddenly hugged him tightly and proclaimed him a genius. "Well, I am your son," he replied sheepishly.

"Yeah, yeah. Flattery will get you everywhere," Usagi chuckled. "Father? We have a solution. Expect us within the hour." She grinned when the king just looked dumbstruck. "Kakarot has an ability called instant transmission. He's a teleporter. Let me sign off and call everyone." She hung up then, and immediately called Bardock, but he didn't answer. "Probably sparring. Feh." _Geta? Beloved?_

She smiled when her mate responded immediately, his love for her filling the bond. _Sparring with Kakarot and Bardock, _he replied absently, clearly focused on the fight. Usagi filled him in with only a few thoughts, and she felt his worry. _Give us a minute, _he told her.

"Come on, brat, let's go get you from Mako and call Turles and Rei. I'm sure they'll want to come so they can properly report."

"Can I come?" Trunks asked, once he'd caught up to her on the way to get his younger self.

Usagi blinked at that and shook her head. "I don't know about that, boy… um… wow. You can't call me Mother, honey. Ok?"

"Uh… I'll try," he offered. Trunks had gotten awfully used to calling her that, and felt a warmth flood him every time the word left his mouth. Thankfully, Vegeta had been scarce due to his training with Bardock and Goku, so he hadn't been at risk for slipping up in front of his father. How Usagi had still kept that a secret was beyond him.

#######################

Vegeta sighed happily as he held his mate for a moment, ignoring the stupid grin from Kakarot and the little smirk playing on Bardock's face. "So, Broly's brain has shit the bed?" He asked gruffly, once he'd pulled away.

"Yeah, power overload combined with how he got there," Usagi confirmed. "You think you can take us, Kakarot?"

Goku nodded and shrugged. "Not a problem. Which way's Vegeta-sai?" He almost laughed when all three of them pointed in the exact same direction without even looking, and focused on that point in space, searching for other ki signatures billions of miles away. "Hm… I think I've got it. Is it just us, then?"

"Not a chance, Kakarot," Rei replied as she landed. "Turles and I should report while we're there."

"Yeah," Turles agreed with a grunt, still a little floored whenever he was near his younger brother. "Gods, he looks just like me," he muttered in wonder for the millionth time.

"I know," Rei chuckled, "it should be a crime for two people to be that ugly."

"Excuse me?" Bardock asked, lifting a brow.

"You're not included, Father. The scar gives you some character," Rei replied with a mischievous grin.

"Hang on! I'm coming too!" Raditz called out as he descended. "Wouldn't be fitting for your bodyguard to not be with you, Highness," he said seriously. When Usagi lifted a questioning brow, Raditz just nodded and grinned. "Yeah, she's pregnant. Finally."

"You've only been fucking that poor woman for a week straight, Raditz," Vegeta snorted. "Took you long enough."

"Whipped cream cans around the world will breathe a sigh of relief tonight," Trunks mumbled from behind Usagi, making her giggle. He only blushed when Vegeta leaned in and muttered something in his mate's ear about there being more for them later on, and shook his head.

"Alright, if that's everyone…?" Goku grabbed Bardock's and Turles's shoulders and waited for everyone to form a link in the chain, and with a rush of light and a bit of nausea, they were all standing in the desert. "I got the planet right at least!" He said with a grin. He chuckled when Vegeta rolled his eyes at him and pointed to the north. "I know, hang on… alright, got it! Hang on everyone!"

Vegeta grunted in approval when they all reappeared in the Saiyan market, and nodded briefly to those that had turned to stare at them all. "Yes, I've returned," he said flatly, as he homed in on his father's ki and marched towards a nearby house, his mate keeping pace with him. "Hn… he's already here. Well done, Kakarot, you got us within a hundred yards of him," he said in surprise.

Goku just grinned as his hand went behind his head. "Thanks! I just focused on the highest ki on the planet, since I figured that would be Broly!"

The crown prince knocked, and moved out of the way when a woman that was identical to Rei opened the door and she rushed forward to embrace her twin, completely ignoring Vegeta. "Firebug! So glad to see you!" Reiko said in relief. "Mina will be ecstatic to have another woman around that Broly might be able to actually tolerate. He can't stand my presence half the time."

"Is that my son?" A low voice rumbled.

Usagi stepped inside the house and folded her arms over her chest. "And what in the hell am I? Chopped Saibaman?" She stared up at the king, and when he smirked, she returned it.

"No, you're my dearest daughter, whom I owe a very sincere apology to," the king said softly. He looked at the pack on her back and turned her around. "May I?" When Usagi gave a nod after a moment's hesitation, she felt her father lift a sleeping Veggie from her back, and turned to find him cradling the infant gently. "He looks like me," he rumbled softly. "The face, I mean. Fuck if I know where he got that hair from."

"From my blood father," Usagi said simply. "Mother told me about him months ago. He had lavender hair."

"Father," Vegeta said flatly, glaring at the old man from the doorway. He nearly told him to get his hands off of his 'disappointing weakling brat,' but Usagi gave him a tiny shake of her head when she sensed the barb on his tongue.

"Son." King Vegeta handed the baby back over to his daughter and swiftly crossed the room to embrace his oldest child, regardless of how it would make him look. He was surprised when Vegeta stiffly returned it, probably more out of surprise than anything; he didn't care though, he'd take it. "I was wrong about the brat. He's perfect."

Vegeta seemed to relax a little at that and nodded. "Of course he is. He's a Saiyan prince. Where's Broly?" He asked flatly. "We have pressing matters to attend to back on Earth."

Seeing that his son was going to keep this trip professional, he sighed and nodded. "He's upstairs. Tread lightly, the both of you. In fact, give me my grandbrat back; he shouldn't be up there with you."

Usagi could see the almost greedy look in the king's eyes, and passed the baby back to him. "If Veggie cries, just get me and I'll feed him. Hey guys! We're going up!" She called to the entire House of Bardock. "Just stay put in case we need Legendary level reinforcements!"

Vegeta smirked when his father seemed to choke a little at that statement, and led his mate upstairs to a door where Paragus was waiting. "I'll be right out here," he assured her. "You call me if there's any trouble."

Usagi nodded and hugged Paragus. "So… how crazy are we talking?"

"Batshit, unless Minako's with him. She's the only one that can seem to calm him down. Right now he's fine, since I heard him claiming her an hour ago." Paragus lowered his voice a little at that. "That poor girl's been taking a bit of a pounding over the last few days; Broly's beast is out in full force."

"Ye gods," Usagi mumbled. She turned the doorknob and gingerly opened it, poking her head in to find Broly feeding Mina a bowl of soup. "Funny, I expected it to be the other way around," she mumbled. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace when Broly jumped a little and snarled at her. "You'd seriously forget me after only a few months, Broly? Damn, I guess I wasn't that good of a friend."

The blonde, spikey-haired Saiyan blinked at that and studied her closely. She looked just like his mate… "Usa?" He asked softly.

"The one and only." She winked at Mina when the lightbender gave her a look of naked relief. "So, congratulations on making Legendary? I have admit, the blonde looks pretty awesome on you. Now we all match."

Broly swam up through the haze of anger and emotion inside of him and swallowed. "Are you blonde, too? I heard you made it as well."

Usagi grinned and immediately powered up, her hair flashing silver as she mentally told her mate to stay put, that she was just showing off. "Pretty cool, huh?" She chuckled, approaching them slowly. "Check this out, though," she offered, holding out one of her hands. A bruise on his shoulder immediately healed up as her ki touched it, and Mina just looked at her in wonder. "I'm still learning to control it, you know, to focus my ki as a weapon, rather than a healing force. But I'm coming along nicely. Geta's been working with me."

Broly blinked in surprise when he felt Usagi's hand cup his face, and for the first time in days, he could actually focus without fighting his inner Saiyan. That soft, silver light was actually calming him, and he nearly broke down crying when he found himself able to lower his ki to its normal level, his hair and eyes melting to black.

Minako caught her mate when he sagged, breathing heavily, obviously fighting not to have a breakdown in front of them. "Beloved, just breathe," she whispered tenderly. "It's alright."

Usagi took a seat on the bed, on Broly's other side, and continued to feed him little bits of her ki as Mina soothingly rubbed his back with the hand that wasn't keeping him steady. "Your ki's super high in that state, Broly," the princess said gently. "I think you're just having a hard time adjusting to the power level, since your transformation was totally unexpected. Well, mine was too, but that's a whole different story."

"What do I do if it happens again, Usa?" Broly practically sobbed. "I put my mate in danger, my brats, my father and his mate, too. Even Nappa's mate; I nearly killed her on the second day when she came over. I—I can't seem to control my emotions at all when I'm ascended."

Usagi thought about it for a long moment and finally nodded. "Let me speak with Geta and Bardock and his brats, and I'll see about you coming with us to train. That's four of us that can already ascend, that can try and teach you how to rein it in. Sound good?"

Broly just nodded wearily as he rested his head in his mate's lap. "Thank you, Highness," he breathed softly, his eyes closing peacefully for the first time in days.

"He hasn't slept since it happened," Minako whispered.

Usagi nodded. "I'm not surprised… and Mina? You've done well. I'm assuming you've been letting him feed you and bathe you and treat you like a helpless child?" She couldn't help but smirk when the Althean nodded. "It's kept his beast in check a little bit; if you had fought him on it, this block would have probably been flattened."

"I guessed as much," she whispered back. "Go talk to Bardock and the prince, and see what they say. I'll get Broly settled in bed; he'll likely sleep a long time."

Paragus looked up when Usagi came back out. "That was really fast," he said in wonder. "Is… could you do anything for him?" He sagged against the wall when she nodded, followed by embracing her tightly. "Thank you so much, Usa. I owe you more than I can say."

Usagi purred comfort to him and shook her head. "Don't mention it, Paragus. Anything for a friend. He's finally sleeping, so just leave him alone for now. I'm going to speak with Kakarot and see if it's alright if we take him back with us."

Vegeta nodded quietly. "Kakarot won't have a problem with it. And it would do him some good to be around other Super Saiyans; we might be able to teach him how to curb his rage."

"My thoughts exactly."

Usagi was a little floored by the crowd waiting for them outside the house, and poked her head over Vegeta's shoulder to look at them all. "Wow. Damn."

"They've all heard that you've both returned, and with an heir," the king rumbled from behind them, holding a sleeping Veggie carefully against his shoulder. "You should go out to greet them. It'll give them some comfort, after all of this nonsense with Althea."

Vegeta was surprised to see his mate's face harden and hear her mind firing away tactically, much like his own. "Usa?"

"What is my grandmother saying? Did she have any clue about the attacks?"

"She denies any knowledge of this Althean resistance, and I frankly believe her. She was simply too horrified when she heard about what happened to Mina for her to be lying. It's the only reason I haven't sent the armada to smash her people," King Vegeta finished with a frown. "And I hate to say it, but Naro wasn't the only one leading a group of rebels. Nappa is now escorting Ami and Reiko wherever they go."

Usagi nodded and held her arms out for her son, and couldn't help but chuckle when the king looked awfully reluctant to hand him over. "Oh, fine. You carry him, then. Though… I'm not sure it would look too manly for you to be carrying a brat on the walk back to the palace."

"Walk?" Both Vegetas snorted.

"Yes, walk. We're going to walk back to the palace, and let the people see that you've returned, Geta. It'll be good for morale, and at the same time, it should make any other rebels think twice about attacking half-breeds and those mated to Saiyans."

"And why would they think twice?" King Vegeta asked softly. "You're both plenty strong, but you can't be everywhere at once."

"Because all of us that can are going to walk to the palace as ascended Saiyans," Usagi said smugly. "I figure a ridiculously disgusting display of power should keep the rebels in line long enough for us to resolve this peacefully."

"Usa… I'm just thinking like the enemy," Vegeta interjected, "but I would see that as a challenge, and likely rise to it."

"Ugh… you're such a boy, damn it. Of course you'd see it that way. But honestly? Who in the hell would fuck with five Legendaries, Geta?"

"Not me," the king admitted with a mumble, just a tad jealous of their achievement. He'd worked his ass off for months, and was now at the same level Usagi had been when she'd left, but was still no closer to becoming a Legendary than he had been before. "But I think the girl's right. We'd be safest if everyone's too dumbstruck at the sight of you to do anything."

"Fine." Vegeta tried to brush off a bad feeling, and when Usagi comforted him through the bond, he relaxed and ascended. "There. Happy, woman?"

"Immensely," she chuckled, as she also increased her power level until her hair spiked out a little and melted from gold to silver. Cradling Veggie in her arms, she stepped outside and smiled at the cheer that went up at the sight of Vegeta and the infant prince. "You boys power up, too," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth, and couldn't hide a tiny smile when they did and also flanked her immediately as if they were an Elite squad that had trained together for decades. Even Kakarot and Trunks, who had had no formal training in soldiering at all.

"We'll walk to the palace," King Vegeta rumbled. "Give the people the chance to see the crown prince and his heir." As the current First of the Elite, the king led the pack, and was impressed with the Saiyans he'd never laid eyes on before; it was simply incredible to watch them mesh with Bardock, Turles, Raditz and Rei, and act as if they were all one unit. "Your names, boys?" He ask over his shoulder.

"Trunks, sir."

"Kakarot, Majesty."

"Ah, I thought you were Bardock's youngest brat, since you're identical to Turles. You boys spread out just a little, so they can see my brats and grandbrat. You're all so tall… and they're both so very, very short," he chuckled.

"Shut up, Father!" Vegeta and Usagi snorted in unison.

"Make me," he challenged with a grin.

"We can," they fired back.

"Ah, you're a match made in heaven, you two."

They all missed Trunks's little grin; apparently he'd been immune to the midget-Saiyan gene, but his mirth was short-lived when a cry went up in the crowd, coming from a single voice and yelling in Althean.

"DOWN!" Rei screamed, immediately moving to cover Usagi and Veggie. She took the hit of lightning that was aimed at the princess and went down with a grunt, but was back on her feet in moments, fighting back to back with her mate against a sudden swarm of Althean rebels. "Fuck! How did this many organize so fast!"

"Worry about it later!" Bardock snarled. "Kakarot, cover the royal family, you're the strongest!"

Goku was already on it, fighting in tandem with Vegeta just as they had several times before, both of them moving as one fluid unit while Usagi stayed close to Raditz and took shots at the enemies when she could do so safely. "We need to get the brat to safety!" She yelled.

"You heard her!" The king yelled to the hundreds of Saiyans in the crowd, who had leapt into the fight without a moment's hesitation, "clear a way and get to the palace!"

"Protect the royal family!" Bardock cried out. "Tight formation! Circle them, ki shield, and counter!" At least in this one instance, the height of the crown prince and his mate was something to be desired; they would have little problem keeping them shielded if no one could spot them over the heads of their guards.

"Calvary's here, boys! Get down and let us show you how starters clear a fucking path!"

"With you, Mother!" Rei yelled triumphantly.

Turles and King Vegeta both barked out a protest when Rei suddenly broke rank and leapt into battle with her mother, shooting fire directly ahead of them. But that protest was short lived as it became a cry to get down when another firestarter in the crowd decided to make his presence known.

Usagi fell as a fireball caught her in the side; she would have been dead before she hit the ground if it had been a direct hit. "NO!" The king roared, breaking rank as he watched a cloth-swaddled bundle fly from his daughter's arms and into the air. Thought was beyond him then as he shot into the air to intercept his grandson, but anyone with any intelligence could have seen that there was no way he was going to make it in time.

With another outraged cry, King Vegeta suddenly moved so fast that he seemed to disappear to the naked eye, and he came crashing back down when a waterwalker spun him in midair with a direct hit. "I've got him!" He yelled over the din at Raditz, who had immediately moved to check him. "Protect my brats!"

"No!" Raditz protested, immediately yanking the king to his feet and quickly breathing a sigh of relief when he saw that Veggie was screaming his head off. Screaming was good; it meant he was alive. "BOY! TO ME!" He barked at Trunks. "NOW!" He shouted, when the youngest of them hesitated over the form of an unconscious Usagi. "We're getting the king and the brat out of here! Vegeta and the others will protect the princess! Usagi will have my head on a fucking pike if I let anything happen to the boy!"

He hesitated for a moment before nodding and making certain that Goku and his kin had things covered. _**"Get my son out of here, boy!"**_Trunks nodded again, this time at his father, and did one better by slinging his mother over his shoulder before darting over to the king.

"In the air, boy. We'll move fast as hell, and I'll try my best to keep up with you both," Raditz grunted. "Don't turn back for me if I fall behind."

"And what about me?" The king snorted. "I'm nearly as slow as you, Raditz."

"Since you've ascended, I don't think that'll be much of a problem, sir," Trunks replied with a tiny smirk, unsheathing his sword a little and turning so the king could see his reflection in the blade.

"Holy shit," the king breathed in wonder, running the fingers of his free hand over his golden goatee. Then the moment was broken as Rei and Reiko screamed in unison and an explosion rocked the street. "No time," he grunted. "Let's go, boy. Before these women seriously fuck some shit up."

"They're out and away!" Vegeta informed those remaining.

"Fuck some shit up, beloved!" Paragus chimed in as he joined the fray. "Sorry I'm late, I had to secure Minako, first. Broly's still out cold, thank the gods."

Goku stunned them all by flaring his ki in an unmistakable pattern, one that was almost never given in the Saiyan army. _**Ever.**_

__"_**Like hell, Kakarot**_!" Bardock, Turles, and Vegeta all roared together. "We are not retreating, boy!" Paragus added.

"Get behind me!" He ordered as if he had every right to. "Father! Remember the move I showed you!?" He asked hurriedly, quickly dispatching two Altheans as they unwisely stepped into his range.

"Oh, fuck! _**That**_!" _Everyone behind us, or get the fuck out of the blast zone! _Bardock ordered with his ki.

"I'm going to need your help for this, Vegeta," Goku growled as he watched over a hundred Saiyans, some injured, clearing the street that had become a battlefield.

"Oh, you can count on it, Kakarot," Vegeta snarled right back, already drawing a ridiculous amount of ki into his outstretched hands. "They're going to rue the day they ever fucked with my family."

"We're clear, boy!" Bardock yelled, as dozens of rebels stalked towards them. "Make it fast!"

"Ready Vegeta?"

"Ready, Kakarot."

"KAME—HAME—"

"FINAL—"

"HAAAAA!"

"FLASH!"

"CURVE IT!" Goku shouted over the screams coming from the rebels. He nearly breathed a sigh of relief as the crown prince grunted, dragging his hands upwards so that most of the buildings—and the rest of the city—were spared. Both of them hit their knees once their respective blasts were travelling out into space, and the taller of the two gave the other a weary nod. "Thanks, Vegeta. I wouldn't have been able to control the wave well enough in so many directions."

"Yeah, yeah," Vegeta huffed, trying to get his breath among the cloud of smoke and debris. "Did we get them all, at least?"

"They're ashes, boys. Every last one of them," Bardock said with more than just a touch of pride for his son and the prince.

"Good," Vegeta said with a nod. "I want to see my mate and brat."

###########################

Usagi woke with a start and would have leapt from the narrow bed if a pair of hands hadn't pinned her in place. "Veggie!" She yelled in the dark. "Where's my son, damn it!"

"Shh, Usa. It's just me. Hang on and I'll get the lights."

"Kakarot?" The princess relaxed as she'd been ordered and laid back down against the pillows while the lights gradually lit up the dark room. "Where's my son and my mate?" She asked fearfully. "Are they-?"

"They're _**fine**_, Usagi. You've been out for over a day. Vegeta refused to leave your side, but I finally had Reiko slip him something so he'd get some damned rest. Gods, he's stubborn. Look, I need to know, can you heal right now?"

Usagi took a moment to gauge her ki level and nodded. "Who got hit?" She asked, letting Goku help her out of the bed.

"Raditz," he answered grimly. "He and Trunks were escorting you, the king, and the baby back to the palace, but he got winged and fell. Trunks went back for him once you were all safe, and drug him out just as I unleashed a Kamehameha Wave.

"How bad?" Usagi asked, letting him support her as she favored her side.

"Bad," he admitted. "We weren't sure if the med tank could even save him. When he hit the ground, the rebels got ahold of him burned him up pretty bad. Here," he said quickly, simply scooping her up so they'd make better time. He carried her right to another room, and set her down in a chair in front of one of the tanks.

"Get him out," Usagi ordered softly, swallowing tears at the sight of her closest friend, who was now so scarred that she hardly recognized him.

Goku nodded silently as he drained the tank and caught his brother as gently as he was able before laying him on a bed. "Do what you can, Usa," he pleaded gently, "I don't want to lose my brother so soon after really getting to know him."

"Hush, Kakarot," she whispered, ascending despite the strain on her body. "I won't let Radu die. Gods, there's so much internal damage," she choked, tears rolling down her face. "I can fix this, though," she said, more to herself than anyone as she began to flood his entire body with her light. "I can fix this." She barely registered in the back of her mind that Goku was speaking with someone using his ki, and only moved when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder, trying to pull her away. She responded to that with a growl and a quick flare of her ki, and the hand disappeared.

"It's enough, Usagi," her mate's voice said in her ear after what seemed like moments, but could have been hours. "He'll live, now."

"No," she protested weakly, "scarring… Raditz… he's too pretty to be so ugly," she choked out in a weak attempt at humor. "No," the healer said again, elbowing Vegeta when he tried to separate her from Raditz. "Leave me be," she insisted, her eyes drooping shut. "My ki…"

Vegeta huffed in defeat and moved to help her into the bed with her nightguard, whacking her bottom when she tried to fight him off again. "Cut it out, woman, I'm doing what you want, after all." The prince made sure to cover them both, huffing a little at the fact that Raditz was naked and snuggled up with his mate, but he had bigger concerns at the moment.

The Lady Serenity was chomping at the bit over what she deemed an attack on her people, and since there had been no rebel survivors—at all—she was suspicious of the king at best. It wasn't until she'd learned about her own granddaughter's injury— and the way the Altheans had targeted a mother carrying an innocent babe— that she relented.

Well, truth be told, she relented at the sight of her great-grandchild cradled carefully in one of King Vegeta's arms, and had nearly wept at the sight of his hair and eye color. Veggie's father had been kind enough to bring him nearer to the screen so she could see him properly, and she had thanked him sincerely for the gesture, proclaiming the baby perfect.

"You should have waited for her to get her strength up," Vegeta snapped at Goku, who was hovering on the other side of the bed. "My brat needs his mother."

"I know," he replied softly, "but he's my brother, Vegeta. Wouldn't you have done the same for her as your sister if our positions had been reversed?" Goku carefully surveyed Raditz's scars, and sighed with relief when the device in his hand proclaimed Raditz fully healed of internal injuries. And as he watched, it seemed like the burns on his face were slowly healing while Usagi slept with her silver ki engulfing the both of them. "Should… should I go back to Earth and get Bulma? She deserves to know, doesn't she?"

"Fuck no, Kakarot. Are you out of your mind? Raditz would put you through the nearest wall if you upset his pregnant mate. If he was dying, I could see getting her, but in this case, it would be best that she didn't even know… if she doesn't already know through the bond… _**fuuuck**_. Damn it, you're right for once, Kakarot. Go now, and come right back, but she stays on Earth."

"I knew you'd see my point eventually," he replied with a smirk, already locking in on Bulma's ki from millions of light years away. "Be back soon, keep an eye on him for me."

Goku immediately felt guilt rushing through him at the tear-streaked, red-eyed face of the woman he'd always considered a sister, and he immediately yanked her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "He'll live, Bulma. Don't worry; Usagi woke up from her injury and got to him in time."

"Is he hurt badly?" She whispered, her voice trembling just as violently as her body.

"Shh, calm down, Bulma. All this stress isn't good for the baby. And I won't lie," he added seriously. "He nearly died, but I swear to you that he's going to be just fine."

With that, Bulma wiped at her tears and stepped back to her seat to take a sedative from the bottle on the table. Those pills were the only thing that had kept her from a nervous breakdown since she'd felt her mate's first flash of pain, followed by an onslaught of agony that had only ended when he'd passed out. "Take me to him," she ordered as firmly as she could.

"No," Goku replied sternly, matching her stare when she glared at him hotly. "You're not coming to Vegeta-sai, Bulma. Not only would Raditz skin me for letting you while there's such a high level of danger… but he wouldn't want you to see him like… like _that_."

"What happened?" She whispered fearfully.

"He was badly scarred by a firestarter before Trunks could get in there and get him out. I'd say about fifty percent of him was covered in scar tissue. Usagi's healing it, though. I could actually recognize his face before she had to take a break. She's napping with him right now, sleeping in her ascended form so she can keep healing him."

Goku held her tightly when she started crying again and lightly hushed her. "It'll be ok, really. He'll be up and moving by tomorrow, I'm sure. And then once all of this bullshit with Althea is over, we'll all come home. A few days at most."

"Take me to him," she insisted, "and just let me see him, Goku. Then you can IT me straight back. Please," she begged, when he firmly shook his head, a glint in his eyes that she'd only seen with Vegeta or Raditz. "Damned Saiyan men!" She shouted, pounding on his chest. "Take me with you right now, Son Goku, or I'll… _**I'll tell your wife**_!"

"Shit, woman, you're going to have to do better than that," he snorted, his inner Saiyan coming to the surface. "You want to come with me?" Kakarot grinned toothily when Bulma nodded. "I want my mate to bear me another brat."

Bulma's jaw dropped and she shook her head. "If you're suggesting that I switch out her birth control with placebos…"

"No, not that, woman! Kami, I wouldn't force it on her!"

"Oh, so you want me to talk to Raditz and have him do the job, then?" She asked with a little grin. That expression became a laugh when he snarled at her. "I was teasing, Goku. Though I wouldn't mind a break from him one night a week. Raditz is more than enough for two women to handle at once," she added a little sadly, her thoughts going out to her injured mate.

"You're smart, and you can be manipulative as hell when you want to be. Talk her into it," Kakarot said flatly, no longer in the mood for beating around the bush. "Ramble on about how exciting it is to become a mother and all that, maybe she'll get bit by the baby bug like Rei has. I've seen the way she's been eyeing my brother," he added with a dark chuckle.

"Like a walking sperm bank," Bulma snorted.

"Exactly. Now… do that, and you can come with me. But only for fifteen minutes. Understood?"

"Yup. Agreed." Bulma closed her eyes as her best friend took her to a room that looked a lot like her med lab, and she barely kept her shit together when she saw the state her man was in.

"I thought I said not to bring her back," Vegeta ground through his teeth.

Goku sighed and shook his head. "You'd want to see Usagi," he countered smoothly, "so shut the fuck up, Vegeta."

"Better watch your tone, Kakarot, and remember to whom you speak."

It was Kakarot's turn to snarl at him; he was stressed out enough as it was with his brother lying there comatose, and his Saiyan nature was gradually getting harder to fight the longer he was around more of his own kind. "I know damned well to whom I speak, Vegeta. And until less than a year ago, you were the crown prince of _**three**_ Saiyans. So that just about makes us equal in my mind. So do me a favor before I lose my cool with you and just _shut the fuck up_," he whispered dangerously, keeping his voice low enough so as not to worry Bulma.

With a glare that clearly said that the argument was far from over, Vegeta strode over to the woman he now considered his sister and squeezed her shoulder in a rare show of affection to someone besides his own mate. "He'll be fine," he grunted, "Usagi's ki is still healing him just with her touching him."

Bulma nodded and wiped at her tears, managing a watery smile. "You'd think I'd be jealous of another woman sleeping with my naked husband. Does it bother you?"

Yes, a little, but he wasn't admitting it for a moment. "He was her nightguard," Vegeta replied firmly. "That is one of the most trusted positions that any warrior can have when working for the royal family. I'd trust Raditz with her life." That, at least, was true.

Goku jumped a little when he felt a hand on his shoulder, but gave his other brother a reassuring pat on the back when he looked to the youngest of them with worry in his eyes. "He'll be fine, Turles. How's Rei and Reiko?"

"Still suffering from burnout, but Paragus and I both managed to get them stable with our kis. Did Usagi actually manage all of that progress?" Turles asked with a touch of wonder. "In her state?"

"Yup. She's pretty amazing. I think she'll be able to heal most, if not all of the scarring."

"Heh, Raditz will cry like a little girl if she can't. He's always been the prettiest," Turles chuckled. "The boy's so damned vain, Kakarot, you wouldn't even believe some of the stories I could tell you."

"Such as?" Goku asked in interest. He'd secretly envied all of the ammo that Turles and Raditz had on each other, and constantly wished that he'd experienced some sort of childhood where he could have grown up with them. It was wonderful, suddenly having two older brothers, but it would have been better if he'd felt the same bond with them that they obviously had with each other and Bardock. Well, at least his father was making up for lost time, Kakarot knew all too well that their daily beatings on each other were the very definition of male Saiyan bonding.

"You know what, Kakarot? Let's go get a fucking drink," Turles suggested, as if he was sensing his brother's moroseness over a lack of a Saiyan childhood. "I'll tell you stories about Radu that'll have you blushing… like the time he got his cherry popped and he disappeared for three days on a whoring spree."

"I imagine Father said something like, 'it begins,' and just groaned and walked away, shaking his head."

"That was pretty much the gist of it, little brother. Come on."

"No, in a bit, I told Bulma she'd get fifteen minutes before I took her back to Earth, and I'll keep my word with her." Goku lowered his voice a little and smirked. "She's going to manipulate Chi-Chi into letting me get her pregnant."

"Ugh…" Turles rubbed the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Rei?" He asked knowingly.

"No… she hasn't said a word. She's got way too much pride for that. But I know she wants a brat every time I see her holding Kale or the little prince. We agreed before we mated that we didn't want children for at least a decade. No," Turles added quickly, when his baby brother opened his mouth. "I need a lot of rum before I even tackle that subject. A _**lot**_ of rum. Enough to lay the armada low."

Kakarot merely nodded, and the two of them stood there in companionable silence until it was time for Bulma to go home. "How many more are injured?" She asked.

"Fifteen lost," Vegeta answered, "dozens injured. That boy was burned up a little, but not too badly, and Rei and Reiko are recovering from burnout. Usagi was burned on her side, but it's healing, and Raditz… well… trust me, woman," Vegeta added softly, "he's exponentially better than when the boy first carried him in here."

"Trunks saved his life," Bulma whispered, stroking back some of Raditz's singed hair. She felt bad about it, since he was so proud of his hair, but he'd likely lose at least a foot of it if not more. "I should go thank him."

"Hell no," Goku and Vegeta said at once, both of them trying not to smirk since they were still pissed at each other. "No stalling, Bulma," Goku continued. "I need you to go straight to Korin and see about getting a sack of senzu beans. Usagi refused to be tanked during the one time she came around, and we need her up and moving and healing people. I'll come pick them up at nightfall. Well, your nightfall, our morning."

Bulma sighed and nodded; Goku had always been good at making her feel like she had a job while still keeping her out of harm's way. "I'll get all that he's got," she promised.

#############################

Trunks opened his eyes when he felt a cool hand on his forehead, and tried to focus on the face above him. "Father?" He whispered.

"No, boy. Your grandfather," King Vegeta rumbled lightly, unable to keep himself from smirking when he watched Trunks's face change to an expression of shock. "No one told me," he assured him, "I figured it out when Kakarot reported this morning about everything that's been happening on Earth. He said you came from the future, and he was sworn to secrecy over your identity. I'm not stupid, boy," he added with a chuckle. "Though I'm starting to wonder about my son. Shit, you look just like us, and if that isn't a dead giveaway, the fact that your hair and eyes are the same as the brat's _should_ be."

"Father just ignores me when he's not yelling at me to stay away from his mate," Trunks managed with a tiny smirk.

"That sounds like my son," Vegeta rumbled as he helped Trunks sit up. "Hold still and let me check your wounds, boy." The king carefully inspected the burns, and while he was changing one of the bandages, he patted his grandson's shoulder. "What you did was a very brave thing, boy. For a brat with no formal training… you sure acted every bit a Saiyan warrior."

"Raditz is my uncle, even though he doesn't know it," Trunks replied softly. "He's the closest thing I have to a father in my time. When… when the androids attacked, Father fell defending Mother, and Mother fell trying to defend and heal him at the same time. She ordered Uncle Raditz to take me and Kale and Boxer somewhere safe, and protect the royal line. Since he didn't stand a chance against the androids, he followed orders to the letter. He's always regretted not trying to save them, you know."

"Well, he saved my daughter and her brat this time," the king answered. "He took charge very well out there in the middle of all that shit."

"Grandfather…?" Trunks asked hesitantly, not sure if addressing the king as such would get him reprimanded or not. "Mother… is she…?"

"Feh, boy." Vegeta hid a little shiver of happiness at hearing himself called grandfather, and focused on patching Trunks up as a distraction. "Your mother is tough as nails. You should have seen the beatings she took during training as a brat. Some of that probably shouldn't have happened," he admitted, "but it is what it is. A lesser female would have broken under the strain. She may have as well, if not for your father watching her ass every minute of the day. But she's a hard nut to crack, and she's had far worse injuries than those little burns. She'll be fine."

"And Uncle Raditz?"

Vegeta didn't miss the hint of fear in the hybrid's voice, and wished it was in his nature to comfort him better than with just a pat to the shoulder. "Your mother woke a couple hours ago and is currently healing him, even in her sleep. He may have some minor scarring where the burns were the worst, but nothing major."

"Thank the gods," Trunks breathed. "Thank you, Grandfather," he whispered, hurriedly wiping at his tears before they could fall.

Vegeta grunted in surprise when his grandson suddenly hugged him, and found himself looking around to make sure they were alone before he hesitantly returned the embrace. "Saiyan men don't hug, brat. Just so you know."

"No, I know," Trunks said, blushing as he quickly pulled away. "Sorry, sir."

"I'll let it slide, boy… since you're the one that pointed out that I'd ascended," he added with a chuckle as he stroked his beard. "I think I looked alright as a blonde."

"It seemed fitting to show you since you'd done it to save me. Well, the other me."

"Feel like letting me test out my newfound powers once you're well, boy? I figure we're at about the same level."

Trunks chuckled at that despite himself, even though he knew such an offer was equivalent to the father-son bonding on Earth. "We're not even close, Grandfather," Trunks snickered, "but yes, I'd be more than happy to spar with you. Maybe we can get your power level up to Mother's before we have to go back to Earth."

**WOOOO! FINALLY, the Muse is back for a few more chapters! Sorry, yall, she comes and goes where she will, and lately that's been for Sacrifice and Love Shack (a fic of Selene's that we're collaborating on with Ana Frost). So! Next chapter: Turles and Goku bonding over liquor (just for you, Ana, since you've been demanding it), Raditz's fate is determined, and Usagi has a meeting that has been long overdue…. R&R and I'll get this shit up faster, yall!**


	28. Chapter 28

***sigh* Poor Kakarot… bwahahahaha…**

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Ladies! Baby boy Kakarot doesn't speak Saiyan! Switch to something else so he can understand all those beautiful voices of yours!"

Immediately, all of the women surrounding them at the entrance switched over to his language, and Goku instantly blushed. Now that he could understand them all, the things they were suggesting were very… um… _wow._

"Aw! Look at the carrot blush!" One of the women chuckled, kissing both of his bright red cheeks. "Turles, he is just _too_ adorable. Much cuter than you," she teased with a wink tipped his way.

"Yeah, too bad we're both mated, huh?"

The one who'd called him 'the carrot' yanked the side of his gi top to the side at that and a loud lamentation went up throughout the women when his mating mark was bared. "Um… Turles…? I thought you said we were going to a bar…?" Goku practically whimpered, not used to so much female attention at once.

"They serve drinks, too, don't you ladies?" His older brother said smoothly, throwing an arm around his shoulders and skillfully weaving them through a small crowd of gorgeous, nubile, half-naked women. "Little brother, if you weren't mated… dear gods, the things these women would do to you," he added with a chuckle.

Watching him gulp and nod, his ears turning red with the rest of him, the first woman chuckled, a low, throaty, sexy sound. "Turles, for this one, tonight would have been free of charge. I'm curious to see if that blush goes all the way down, or just to his neck."

"See, Kakarot?" Turles snickered. "And Celes is downright famous on this side of town, you know. She doesn't offer her services to just anyone, let alone for free."

"Speaking of free services…." She purred, stepping to the side so some of the other girls could serve them drinks, "how is your big brother?"

"Ah… well, Celes… I have some rather bad news."

"Oh no! Is he injured!?"

"Is he going to be alright!?"

"Heh, we could nurse him back to health."

"Yeah, a few blowjobs would bring him right around!"

Kakarot's eyes got wider with each proclamation and sexual suggestion, while Turles smirked and seemed to rather be enjoying all of their proposals. "But… Bulma would be awfully pissed, Turles… she'd kill them all," he whispered conspiratorially. "And I didn't think you could do that sort of thing if you were mated."

All conversation stopped immediately, and the room went dead silent except for what sounded like a reined in, muffled laugh from Turles. "What did you say?" Celes asked softly, her eyes wide with shock.

Suddenly the center of attention, Goku swallowed and shrugged. "Um… uh… I was just asking about mating… you know? Raditz's mate is awfully territorial… her temper's a thing of legends back home." His eyebrows hit his hairline when a loud wail went up from several of the women, while more than a few others openly wept.

"Not Raditz!"

"No! He's gone over to the dark side!"

"I couldn't get one last fuck in with him at least!?"

"Yeah, little brother… Raditz is something of a legend around here, too. Just not for his temper," Turles informed him over the sounds of crying women. "Ladies! Relax! Kakarot here has a son, you know! Five more years and I'll bring him for his first burning!" Turles yelled over the din.

"WHA!? NO! Chi-Chi would KILL us!" Goku exclaimed. Then he blinked and looked at his brother. "Wait… what's a burning?"

All conversation stopped again and the women just stared at him once more. "You are a Saiyan, right?" One of the women asked.

"Kakarot bumped his head as a brat and totally forgot his Saiyan nature," Turles explained. "It seems to be steadily coming back to him, though, the more he's been around other Saiyans. Now Kakarot, I know you've felt that burning sensation once every couple of years, right? And you've jumped on Chi-Chi for two or three days straight?" His eye twitched a little when his brother just shrugged and shook his head. "No burning sensation in your body…. Ever?" He aske d incredulously.

"No, never. Why?"

"Lucky son of a bitch," Turles snorted. "Now you're making me wish I'd hit my head, too. The burning is a mating drive that all Saiyan males go through, starting around age fifteen. If you ever have one, you'll know it; there's no mistaking it for anything else, boy."

"So it's a mating drive, like when Chi-Chi's fertile? I had the strangest thing happen to me a few months ago, you know." He blushed at the memory and shook his head. "It's been happening every month now, and I can't seem to stop it. I'm just glad I haven't hurt her."

Turles scooted his chair over when Celes moved to sit between them. "I think our little carrot needs to have The Talk," she said seriously. "At least the portion of it that deals with Saiyan hormones."

"Have at it, woman," he replied with a shrug. "This one's beyond me." He knocked back his entire drink, swallowed, then just studied his brother. "Are you seriously telling us that you never jumped your mate while she's been in heat until a few months ago?"

"Not… not like that. I mean, I could smell it and everything, and I'd want her often during those times," he admitted while his face turned beet red. "But we just made love a lot and— what?" He asked, when all the women "aaawed" and smiled at him gently.

"Saiyan males don't say that word," Turles snorted in contempt. "Or… at least we'll never admit it," he added. "I'm pretty sure it's been said in the heat of the moment and all by more than a few warriors. But we definitely don't say it in public."

Now Goku was just confused. "But why? Love's a nice word, Turles." More cooing noises came from the women, and a couple pecked him on the cheek. "See? They agree."

"Precisely, little brother. Back on the subject, we'll have a conversation about that word at a later date."

"What happened with your mate a few months ago?" Celes asked with a little smile. Watching Turles get flustered had always been fun; her and Raditz had made annoying him a game on more than one occasion.

"I really don't know," Goku said softly. "She was taking these pills, and she told me they were vitamins, but they were really her birth control. She told me later that she'd been warned to keep it hidden while she was in heat. I crushed the pills, I don't know why, I was just so _**mad**_. And then I…" His eyes got a little wide and he shook his head. "I took her. But it wasn't me. Ok, it was me. But it wasn't. I don't know how to explain it. And… I told her to call me Kakarot," he finished, his face so red he was practically glowing. "My name's Son Goku," he added quickly, when the women just seemed confused.

"His Earth name," Turles explained. "He doesn't go by Kakarot back home."

"It sounds like you're remembering your Saiyan nature," Celes said gently, giving his hand a friendly squeeze. "You said you didn't hurt her, though, which is good."

"Oh no… she enjoyed it. And then the chase afterwards." He couldn't help but smirk a little at that. "I didn't mean to get so damned rough with her though… she was pretty sore afterwards."

"It sounds like your mate has a set of Saiyan balls, if she actually initiated a chase while you were like that," she chuckled.

"She thought it would calm me down," Goku replied with a soft laugh.

Turles laughed at that and ordered another drink for himself. "She was _**wrong**_, baby brother. I'll bet twenty credits that you fucked her brains out."

A flash of that Saiyan intelligence and humor came out of him then and he grinned sheepishly. "I'd say so. She was acting pretty retarded for a few hours after." Then the normal, sweet Goku came back and he blushed.

Celes didn't miss the sudden shift in his personality and eyed them both seriously. "Turles, this little carrot does seem to be remembering… or something. I don't know if it's serious, but I would warn his mate and have everyone just keep an eye on him."

His dark eyes got wide with worry at that. "I… I won't hurt anybody, will I? Every month when Chi-Chi's in heat, I've been terrified of hurting her when that… when Kakarot takes over," he finished with a slightly terrified whisper.

Turles held up his hand when Celes opened her mouth. "But you—or he—_**hasn't **_hurt her," he said flatly. "Baby brother, I honestly think you just need to not fight it anymore. It's _**who you are**_. You're a Saiyan warrior, Kakarot, likely the strongest of us all. And I saw the way you fought the other day; you were all Saiyan in that moment boy, and it was fucking impressive. I don't know if anyone could have possibly curved that energy blast as well as you did." His eyes narrowed at the memory and he shook his head in wonder. "Kakarot, the only thing that got hit by your blast were all of those rebels. The damage to the buildings was from Prince Vegeta's Final Flash. Which was pretty awesome in its own right," he admitted, "but your Kamehameha didn't even _touch_ anything else."

"No, Turles, I wasn't Kakarot then. I was just me… though, there was this strange… I can't explain it. It was almost like I could think better. I could calculate the movements and the blasts of everyone around me. It was the same when I defeated Frieza, you know. I got… _**mad**_. Really mad. And I didn't feel stupid anymore."

"You're not stupid, Kakarot," Turles snorted. "Vegeta may be a prince, but he's an ass, and I've told him so on more than one occasion. He really needs to stop calling you an idiot."

"Ugh… yeah, I said as much and even more a few hours ago," Goku groaned. "I'd better apologize to him; I think I really hurt his feelings."

Turles barked out a laugh and threw back another drink while he practically giggled. "Oh gods, Kakarot… the mere thought. You're worried that you hurt his _feelings_!? Gods, you're such a woman sometimes! What did you say?"

"I um… I kind of snapped at him when he got his nose in the air about being better than me. I reminded him that we're equals and that he was pretty much the prince of nothing until Vegeta-sai got wished back," he answered in embarrassment. Judging from the shocked stares in the room, he knew he was right. "Yeah… I'll go apologize when we get back."

"Wow, Kakarot… I would have killed to be a fly on the wall for his reaction," Turles muttered. "And remember something, brother. He's still your prince, whether there's millions of us or just a handful. Even if your power does outstrip his. Vegeta and I don't get along half the time, but I still respect him as a member of the royal family."

"Yeah, well… he didn't try to kill everyone on your homeworld, Turles!" Kakarot snapped right back. "And I know he was under Frieza's influence and he was pissed because we'd killed Raditz, but there's always going to be a bit of bad blood between us for that. Even if everyone did get wished back eventually."

"Ok, boys, new subject," Celes suggested with a smile. She hadn't missed Goku's sudden shifts into a more Saiyan attitude whenever he'd gotten annoyed, and she was going to make it a point to have a talk with Turles and write the little carrot's mate a message. "Kakarot… have you even noticed that when you get agitated, you switch to speaking in Saiyan? Turles said you don't speak the language."

Turles blinked and sat up straight. "You're right, woman. The other day, during the battle… Kakarot, you _did_. You barked out all of those orders in Saiyan," he said slowly. "It's all coming back to you," he added with a smirk. "Gods, we're gonna be in for one hell of a ride if and when it hits you full force. I'd tell you to ask Raditz about it when he comes to, but frankly, Kakarot… you're an awful lot like me or Father when you get like that. You're going to have to learn to leash that anger, boy."

The room had gotten quiet, and Goku looked around. "What?"

"You said 'when Raditz comes to,'" a little blonde said softly, stepping forward. "So he really was injured in the battle?"

Goku nodded grimly. "He was burned really bad by some firestarters while he was trying to get the royal family back to the palace. If Trunks hadn't gotten him out of there in time, he would have been dead." Goku smirked with pride at that. "He really fucked them up, too, despite taking some hits himself. Usagi's working on healing him back up, and at the rate she's going, I doubt he'll even have that much scarring."

"Both of them are fucking heroes," Turles interjected. "I wouldn't be surprised if the king has Usa ink the both of them with the Pride of the Army." When his brother gave him a blank look, he sighed. "Kakarot, the Pride of the Army is only… _**the **_fucking tattoo. I can only think of two people in the last half a millennium that have ever received it. One of them was our grandfather's grandfather, over three hundred years ago. He flew into a battle and faced certain death to drag his entire squad out, two men at a time, thrown over his shoulders. He lost an arm in the process and still kept going back until all of his men were out. It's given for ridiculously insane acts of bravery, honor, and loyalty."

"Oh! Like the Medal of Honor or the Gold Star back on Earth! I get it now." Goku smiled, oblivious to the way some of the ladies in the room melted at the sight. "Raditz definitely deserves it. Trunks, too, with the way he ran back through to grab Usagi."

"Who's Trunks?" Celes asked curiously. It wasn't a Saiyan name, but for him to be inked, he had to be of Saiyan blood. "Is he from off world?"

Goku grinned and snickered as he tried his drink for the first time and nearly spit it out. "What is this!?"

"Uh… alcohol," Turles replied blandly, finishing his sixth drink. "I told you we were going drinking."

"Oh. Huh… I've never had anything stronger than beer before," Goku admitted a little shyly.

"Gods, he is just too cute, Turles. I would eat him up," a whore chuckled from the corner.

"And if he wasn't mated, I'd throw the little carrot to the lot of you," Turles countered. "Just like Raditz did to me at fifteen," he added with a grin. "Gods… couldn't walk straight for a week after that."

"Show us on the doll where they touched you," Goku giggled after draining his glass, trying not to cringe at the burn. "It's—it's from a movie I once saw, sorry," he added. "Did you ladies violate my big brother?"

"For hours," Celes purred, "until his daddy came to save him from us awful cradle-robbing hedonists."

Goku held up his hand, indicating that he wished to speak, while he knocked back three drinks that a woman had set in front of him. "Mmm… tastes better as you go!" He exclaimed.

"Like a few things I can think of," someone chuckled.

"So… I was thinking—"

"Oh no," Turles snorted.

"Trunks is eighteen…" Kakarot grinned a little savagely at his brother when Turles's jaw dropped. "And there aren't really any women in his world…"

"Ladies!" Celes yelled cheerfully, "who wants to fuck a hero!?"

"And a Legendary," Kakarot added quickly.

"WHAT!?" They all yelled at once.

Turles circled the table and yanked up Goku's sleeve. "Just like his big Uncle Kakarot," he chuckled.

Goku couldn't help but feel proud as the women gaped at his tattoo, some of them shoving others out of the way to get a better look. "We'd heard rumors," Celes said quickly, "of others, but… Bardock must be very proud."

"Turles is nearly there, too, and my son, Gohan. Vegeta and Usagi made it some time ago, and the king made it during the battle."

"The prophecies are all coming true," one of the ladies whispered softly.

"The prophecies," Celes repeated, when Goku looked at her blankly. She shot Turles a glare, in disbelief that he hadn't informed his little brother about such an important piece of his heritage. "There have always been legends about a Saiyan warrior achieving the next level, but there's something even older… so old that it's barely even a myth anymore. It was told that the Saiyan race would day rise up again in flames of gold, and that one family would finally attain the power that they had always strived for."

Goku thought about that quietly for a moment before taking another drink. "One family."

Turles snickered and drank as well. "Vegeta would be mortified to hear it, but he's Father's first cousin by blood."

That fierce intelligence came to the surface once more as Kakarot analyzed the facts. "But Usagi's not blood."

"Still family, boy. And not in the sort of way that Bulma's related to you or Vegeta by claim. Usagi and Vegeta imprinted as brats, and when they were a little older, they exchanged blood. You know," he explained, "where you both cut your hands and shake?"

"Oh! Blood brothers, I get it."

"Yeah. So in a way, they are blood, just not the same DNA. If that makes sense. Ask Nappa's mate, she'd be able to explain it, maybe. Anyway, the imprinting makes them closer than kin. In essence, they share a little of each other's souls. And as mates, it only ties them together even more."

"Huh… so Broly is related to us, too?"

"We all share a common great-great grandfather. The same one that was inked with the Pride of the Army. Nappa, too, he's an off-shoot from that line, and related to us distantly. Vegeta's family has intermarried with our house a few times, though. Huh." Turles screwed up his face for a moment as he counted in his head. "Vegeta is our double second cousin and our fourth cousin, now that I think about it."

Goku snorted into his drink and burst out laughing. "No wonder he's fucking his sister! It runs in the family!"

"Dear gods, boy," Turles chuckled. "That was just… _**bad**_. Get him some more rum, girls, I like him a lot better when he's drinking!" He snickered. "And Vegeta would have knocked your ass out for that."

"He would have tried," Kakarot replied smugly.

"Wait a hot damned minute!" Turles snapped, slamming the bottle of rum on the table. "If it's all one fucking family, how is that _**boy**_ related to us all!? Is he a cousin or something!?" He frowned when his brother giggled like a girl and smacked his hand on the table in his mirth. "What? Spill it, Kakarot."

"Turles… really? You're not stupid. What do you know about Trunks? What have you learned about him since you landed on Earth?"

"He comes from the future."

"Right."

"His mother and father died protecting him."

"Right again."

"Huh… he's a Legendary, ever since his master was killed. He said he was fifteen when it happened. And his aunt and uncle took him in with his cousins."

"Yup. What else, Turles? Don't think too hard, it's completely obvious. It's right in front of your… _face_," he added with a wink.

"Face?"

"Yup."

"His face, then… well, with all that—oh dear gods."

"_**And we have a winner**_!" Kakarot cackled, pushing his brother a fresh drink.

"All that hair!" Turles yelled. "That lavender hair! The same as the brat's!? Dear gods," he added with a whisper. "He looks just like his father when he's ascended, too. And that sword is his mother's too, isn't it!?"

"Uh-huh. Told you you'd figure it out; you only had to put a few clues together and it was obvious. Usagi knows," Goku said quickly, when Turles eyed him. "Not Vegeta, though. I think the king's figured it out."

"And ladies? What's said here isn't to be repeated," Turles announced.

"What happens in here stays in here, sugar," Celes added with a wink. "So… you're throwing us a Legendary hero… and a princeling as well?" She asked with a chuckle. "We'll make sure to give the boy the royal treatment."

#################################

Usagi slowly cracked her bleary eyes open to the sound of purring, but she knew instinctively whom that noise belonged to since she'd heard it every night during her time on Vegeta-sai as an adult. "Radu?" She whispered hoarsely. She tried to focus on him as she sat up, was simply too weak, and her trembling arms gave as she collapsed onto his chest.

"Don't move, Usa," Raditz told her, his voice sounding just as strained as hers. "Chest still hurts."

"Sorry." She tried flaring her ki a little higher to speed his healing, but found that she barely had any energy left to give. "Radu, I'm nearly drained," she whispered.

"Then stop," he ordered her. "I'm fine. I'll live."

"No… just need food."

"Damn it, Usa," he snapped angrily, "I did not fall in service to you only for you to take your ki level to the point of death. Cut off the light right now, woman."

"Do as he says, beloved," Vegeta said from the doorway. "You need to regain your strength, and then you can heal him some more. Stubborn woman."

"Geta, it's easier to heal fresh burns than it is to repair healed scar tissue," she protested softly, unable to even move her head from the weakness.

"Usagi, if you don't shut up about my damned burns I'm going to pound on you the moment I'm able," Raditz threatened. He sat up with a groan and tried not to whimper at the pain running over every inch of him from the waist up, and was silently grateful for the lack of mirrors in the room. He didn't even want to see what those bastards had done to him. He carefully passed the limp princess over to the prince, and gratefully took a tin of salve in exchange. "This will help with the tightness?"

"It's that stuff Ami made, I'll help you with it in a few minutes," Vegeta grunted. "It should help heal the damage, but she doubted it would be sufficient for a full healing. The burns were really deep, Raditz," he added with a mixture of sympathy and relief.

That relief made the third-class warrior realize just how bad it must have been. He remembered pain, lots and lots of pain while he'd fired ki blasts off wildly, hearing a scream now and again whenever he'd hit his mark… but that was all. He'd blacked out at some point when the pain had become too great for him to bear any longer; he didn't even remember anyone bringing him back to the palace. Just rage and pain, and a thought towards the end of it for his mate, who he'd been sure would be a widow before the end of the battle. "I nearly died, didn't I?"

"The tank sustained you until Usa woke. She blew nearly all of her ki healing the internal damage, and refused to leave your side," Vegeta grunted in reply. "It's been about three days since the attack," he said next, "and your woman has been hounding me every time Kakarot's brought her here. I swear to the gods, Raditz, if she shows up down here one more time, I'm going to break your brother's face."

Raditz managed a smirk but flinched at the tightness in his face, ignoring a flutter of worry about his appearance. He'd worry about that later, damn it. The princess, king, and heir were safe, and he'd do it all again if that's what it took to protect the royal line. "Is Bulma alright?"

"She's fine; Nappa's mate scanned her and said that she and the brat were coming along nicely. Now, woman," Vegeta said to his mate, "you're going to eat," he ordered, holding a spoon to her lips. "Open up," he added gently, when her eyes fluttered shut. "and if you can without passing out, lose the silver hair. Keeping that form is only draining you at this point."

Usagi complied with a tiny nod and tried not to cry in embarrassment as he fed her like a helpless infant, opening her mouth whenever he ordered her to and swallowing every bit of the soup he'd brought.

"Can you chew yet, beloved?"

"Think so," she breathed, and she took a bite of the bread he held to her lips. It took a full minute, but eventually she'd chewed and swallowed it.

"Here," Vegeta said softly. "Drink. It's just juice. I didn't want to give you anything with alcohol in it." He gave her a few careful sips and dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin before calling down to the kitchen for more soup to be brought up, then slowly fed her another bite of the bread. "Want to try something softer?"

When she gave him the barest of exhausted nods, he mashed up some fruit in a bowl and added some juice to it before squashing it some more, and soon had a fruit sauce that she wouldn't have to chew. "Here, try this, beautiful," Vegeta urged, purring low in his chest in an attempt to soothe the worry for Raditz that he could feel through the bond. "He'll be fine," he whispered, "but you're not helping him by letting yourself get this weak, Usagi."

She sighed and nodded, and ate all of the fruit without a protest, and when Kakarot came in, grinning ear to ear and popped something in her mouth, she chewed, her eyes going a little wide as she felt some of her strength returning to her while her injured side began to knit. "What was that?" She asked, her voice a little stronger.

"Senzu bean. You lost a ton of energy, though, so give it an hour and see if it helps." He then turned to his brother and gave him one as well.

Raditz ate it without a second thought and relaxed as he felt his skin heal up. He watched his arms and actually smiled a little as the worst of the scarring faded, even though there were still some where the damage had been the worst. "Do I want to know about my face?"

"Eh, I've seen way worse," Goku said with a shrug. "Here, hold still," he ordered, gently taking the tin from his older brother. He opened it and began to apply the ointment to his face as lightly as possible, afraid of accidentally causing him pain, and in a few minutes he gave Raditz a satisfied nod. "You've got a couple vertical scars right here on the left side, but other than that you look the same."

"Feh. So much for my dashing, baby-faced good looks," Raditz sighed, only half-joking.

"You got those scars saving my mate and brat, Radu. Wear them with pride," Vegeta announced from the other side of the room. "And you have my undying gratitude for that as well," he added soberly. "Thank you."

Raditz nodded solemnly. "I'd do it again, Vegeta. How is the brat, anyway? The old man made one hell of a catch, ascended or not."

"Vegeta is fine; he's napping right now. Nappa's mate made him some formula, and some sort of cereal since he's big enough for a little food. It was about time to wean him anyway, since he's cutting teeth." The prince smirked when Usagi actually managed to lift her head and an arm and started snagging things from the tray he'd brought, wolfing them down with Saiyan speed.

"You hungry, Radu?" Usagi said in her usual stuffing-her-face voice, her energy steadily returning with every Saiyan-sized bite, with more than a little help from the senzu.

Raditz nodded a little. He'd actually been in enough pain to be nauseous when he'd first woken, but now he felt like he was starving. He climbed down carefully from the table, wrapping the sheet around his waist, and crossed the room to where Vegeta had set a second tray. Once again, his stomach began to churn, and he gagged at the scent of the pile of cooked ribs on one of the plates. "Dear gods… here, somebody eat these fast or get them the fuck out of the room," he said with a little shiver, unable to block out the memory of smelling his own cooking flesh.

Goku took them quickly and kindly stepped out to eat them, not sure if even watching him eat them would make his brother sick again. Usagi and Vegeta both exchanged a knowing look, they were both completely aware of how those firestarters had roasted him alive. Usagi knew better than Vegeta did, since she'd seen the internal damage in her mind's eye as she'd healed him of it. "Here," she offered, pushing him the second bowl of soup that a servant had brought in. "It's tomato."

"Thanks," he sighed gratefully, lamenting his aversion to pork. He had loved ribs, too, and Vegeta had known it; that's why there'd been such a heaping mound of them. "Hopefully it's just a problem with pig," he muttered as he dipped a massive chunk of bread in the soup and began to eat slowly, not sure if his stomach would accept the offering.

"We need to heal that arm up, Radu," Usagi said conversationally, trying to change the subject. "Your ink needs a serious fucking touch up, brother."

Raditz lifted a brow at the familial claim she'd just made, but didn't contradict it. He then looked down at his arm and shuddered a little at the sight of his army tattoo; the shoulder was healing, but it was obvious from the way the ink was lying that the flesh had been melted. "We'll have to ki burn it, won't we?" He asked with a hint of dread.

Reaching across the table, she squeezed his hand and lightly shook her head. "No, Radu. No Saiyan on this planet would blame you for not wanting to do that. I'll just ink your other shoulder if you'd like. It's a little unorthodox I guess, but hell…" She suddenly grinned and itched to have her kit in hand. "I have a great fucking idea, actually."

Vegeta smirked and nodded. "I agree. He earned it. The boy too, Usa," he added despite himself. "He had the presence of mind to run back through the crossfire just to get to you. I don't like the little shit, but he's got more bravery than sense."

"What?" Raditz asked curiously. "A vet tattoo? For that little battle?" He scoffed at that and shook his head while he devoured his meal, ignoring the little twinges of discomfort on the left side of his face and the pain in the arm he was using.

Usagi flinched at the sight of his pain and scooted closer to him, disregarding Vegeta's protest in her mind as she called up her renewing healing abilities and filled Raditz with her light.

The huge Saiyan warrior nearly sobbed with relief when the pain immediately vanished, and he looked up to Usagi with watery eyes. "Thank you," he breathed.

"We'll get this arm healed at least, and the shoulder, so that you can use them without discomfort," she informed him, resting her head against that same shoulder as she already felt her stamina waning. Her powers were returning to her steadily, yes, but she was draining them faster than they could replenish. Usagi needed at least a full day's rest before she could do the kind of healing that Raditz required. Maybe more.

Vegeta knew it too, and loudly cleared his throat when he felt his mate's energy hit a level that he'd mentally set, intent on stopping her if she continued on. "Woman, you're testing my patience," he spoke, when she didn't immediately answer him.

Raditz looked down and chuckled, running his fingers tenderly through her hair before kissing her forehead. "Wake up, little rabbit. That's enough for today."

Usagi gave a small grumble and uttered something that sounded like "piss off" before snuggling closer and dozing back off. Vegeta solved that by picking up a glass from the table and dumping the contents of it over her head, smirking triumphantly down at her when she awoke with a sputter, a flurry of swear words, and a kick aimed for his balls.

"Much better!" He snickered, immediately scooping her up, kicking and screaming, and taking her straight to the shower for wash the juice out of her hair.

###################

Usagi sighed with relief as she pushed open the door to find her future son sitting up and eating something, his bare torso covering with a few odd bandages. "Hey, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" She asked softly. She paled however, as she stepped into the room to find her father there as well. And she'd just called him by an endearment reserved for someone much closer than just a friend… oh gods. Just her luck, he would likely misunderstand it, too.

However, Trunks's lips quirked up into a bit of a teasing grin. "The old man knows, Mom. Stop looking like a deer caught in the headlights, and come eat something."

The princess's breath came out in a little whoosh of relief and she sagged onto the bed next to Trunks, stealing some of his food without a touch of guilt. Shit, there was practically a mountain of it there.

"Every word that came out of my mouth that day was totally wrong," the king rumbled softly. "This boy is definitely something to be immensely proud of, girl. This one too," he chuckled, revealing a sleeping Veggie curled up in the crook of his massive arm.

"Of course he is. He's my son," Vegeta snorted from the doorway. He'd followed his mate, and had been about to start ranting when he'd found her perched next to what looked like a naked Trunks, but then he'd heard his father's voice and relented.

_Trust me, beloved. You have absolutely nothing to be jealous of, _Usagi informed him, her lips twitching up in his trademark smirk.

"Hungry?" Trunks offered with his mouth full, waving the prince over. "There's plenty, and these ribs are fan-fucking-tastic."

"They were meant for Raditz," Vegeta replied flatly, feeling a large wave of sympathy for the son of Bardock. "They're his favorite, but since the battle he has an aversion to the scent of cooked pork."

Trunks's eyes went wide and he suddenly stopped eating as the memory of lifting a smoking Raditz into his arms hit him with full force. He remembered the smell of him all too well as he'd rolled him on the ground at first to put out the flames, and immediately didn't want anything more to eat.

Usagi chewed on her lower lip in agitation while she pushed her annoyance through the mating bond, and watched her future son turn a little green while he trembled slightly. "Perfect timing Vegeta, as always. Shh," she directed at Trunks, sliding her hands soothingly up and down his back while she filled him with her light. "Relax, sweetheart, it's alright." She felt her mate approaching with the intention of tearing her away, and immediately turned her head and snarled at him as her Saiyan instincts rose to the forefront.

Vegeta blinked and stopped dead in his tracks, noting the smirk on his father's face. That had sounded and looked like a protective instinct, but… "I want to know right now," he growled dangerously. "What in the hell is it with the two of you?"

A little groggy from the light running through his body, Trunks slowly turned his head and regarded his father wearily. "Not what you think, Highness."

"Bull_**shit**_! That is my mate you're sitting naked in bed with, and—I—" Vegeta clenched his fist, fighting his beast for control, and snagged Usagi's shoulder. "Out, now. Before I knock the boy out," he warned.

King Vegeta rolled his eyes and carefully extricated his son away from his daughter before he really pissed her off and things got out of hand. "Boy, I'd let the girl heal him if I were you. Save the pissing contest for a later date," he snorted.

Once the healing was done, Usagi stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her before shoving Vegeta into a wall and pressing him to it with a snarl and an elbow pushed into his throat. "If you _**ever**_ interrupt me like that during a healing ever again, with the intent to harm my patient, I will beat your ass six ways from Sunday," she snarled viciously. "And if you ever threaten Trunks like that again, I'll make you fucking regret it."

Not too sure where his mate had gone to, and wondering who this new, nasty, primal Usagi was, Vegeta just blinked.

"Mate or no mate, imprinting or none, I won't be treated like a damned piece of property. Understand me, Vegeta?"

The crown prince nodded slowly while he delved into the mating bond and tried to deduce just what exactly was going on between her and that boy. But she'd blocked off parts of her mind skillfully, and he had no way of delving into those bits of knowledge. "What is it about him, Usagi?" It wasn't possible if they were mated, but… "Do you want him?" Being only half-Saiyan, maybe it was possible, and that secretly scared the hell out of him.

Usagi practically sagged as she removed her elbow from his throat and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm going to go take a damned nap," she sighed, unsure how to allay the fear she felt washing through him. She could tell him, but… gods, how would he react to it? Yes, she'd given the boy her word, but what harm would it do, really? The future had already been changing, Trunks had said as much on several occasions.

"Tell me what?" He whispered, clenching his fist to keep it from trembling.

"Not what you think, Geta," she said with a weary exhalation. "Watch Veggie for me for a few hours, please? I'm still drained from healing Raditz, and I probably shouldn't have healed Trunks so soon. I didn't want to see him in pain, though."

"Son?" King Vegeta rumbled from the doorway.

"Father?" He replied tersely.

"How long has it been since you spent some alone time with your mate?" He asked carefully, not wanting to embarrass either of them.

"I've been bleeding for six weeks," Usagi replied, knowing exactly what he was hinting at. "I just had a baby, if you hadn't forgotten."

"You're not bleeding now," the king said flatly.

Usagi did blush a little at that, and didn't miss the way her mate's nostrils flared a little as he realized the change in her scent. "It finally stopped yesterday," she replied slowly, suddenly feeling a little hunted with the way Vegeta was eyeing her and stepping forward.

"I'll watch the brat, you two can pick him up from me tomorrow afternoon," he suggested with a tiny smile.

"No," Usagi snapped, pointing at her mate when he advanced. "I'm getting some rest, and then I'm healing the others that were injured in the battle."

Vegeta followed her with a little grin as she kept glancing back at him over her shoulder, shooting him dirty looks until she slammed the door to her chambers in his face. "Usagi… I'm getting in there no matter what, so you might as well let me in the easy way," he snorted in amusement.

Wishing to the gods that she could sic Broly on the prince, Usagi merely unlocked her door and went about her business, tossing her dirty clothes into the hamper before reaching for a nightgown in one of her drawers.

"Nope," Vegeta said quickly, snagging the flimsy garment and tossing it to the floor. "Your clothes always look better there anyway," he rasped in her ear.

Usagi opened her mouth to voice a protest, but he beat her to the punch as he expertly caressed the base of her tail with his fingertips while he brushed his mouth over her mark. It was barely even a scar now, as it had healed up over the last six weeks, but it didn't keep her from moaning as he lavished it with attention and twined his tail with hers. "Geta… I really should sleep…"

"We can sleep when we're dead," he mumbled into her shoulder. "Please," he added softly, knowing exactly which buttons he needed to push to get his way. "I've blocked out the desire to have you for too long, beloved. I need you."

Ok, fine… he had been an awfully good boy while she'd been pregnant during those last few weeks, not to mention the six afterwards where she'd been bleeding like a stuck pig. And with the way his tail was suddenly swishing around lightly in the air, spreading the scent that announced his desire to mate, she knew there was no way she would be able to fight her instincts for long. Then she felt his hands wandering her bare skin as one trailed southward to stroke her well-trimmed curls. "I… I don't want to ever hear… anything about Trunks again," she whispered breathlessly. "I'm yours, Geta. No one else's. I'd never do that to you."

Vegeta rewarded her by dipping his fingers between her folds and caressing her gently, pressing his full arousal into her lower back. "Prove it," he sighed in her ear. "Come for me, Usa. Be mine."

The princess nodded helplessly as he slowly moved a finger over her nub, stroking her so slowly that it was maddening. "Faster," she sighed, leaning her head back against his chest, purring softly as his other hand moved over the rest of her reverently. Then she whimpered when she felt his hand retreat to her thighs, where he began to tease her. "Geta?" Her hips rocked in expectation, but when he kept those dexterous fingers away from her heat, her purred vanished and was replaced with a little snarl of frustration.

"If you want it, beloved, you'll have to take it the way I give it to you," he whispered hoarsely. "Now," he added, moving his hand back to where she wanted it, "don't tell me how to do my job."

Usagi bit back a mean remark as he resumed those slow, light brushes over her clit, and whimpered softly when he ignored the hints she was giving him with her hips. She wanted more, damn it, but he'd made it clear that she was to submit to him and just relax. "Please," she begged softly after another few minutes of that treatment. "Please, Geta, I want you."

"In a minute," he purred into her throat, smiling as he noticed that he could see them in her floor length mirror across the room. "Open your eyes, beloved. Look at how beautiful you are."

Usagi cracked them open to see what he was referring to, and blush at the sight of herself, naked and fully aroused, his tail twined with hers around her waist while she idly stroked it. Her eyes drifted to look at the hand pleasuring her reflection, and couldn't help but moan a little as she felt it finally move a little harder.

"No," he breathed, when her eyes slipped shut once more. He quickly reverted to the slow whispering of his fingers over her nub, and when she opened her eyes again, he rewarded her with a firmer touch. "That's it. I want you to watch yourself coming, Usagi. I want you to see what I see."

She flushed with embarrassment and looked away, but when he turned her head back towards the mirror, she found herself complying. So long as he didn't let up with the waves of pleasure he was causing to course through her body, she'd give him what he wanted. To her own mortification, she found herself turned on by the sight of her own pleasure, and began to fluff her fingers through the fur of his tail in response. "Want you now, Geta."

"In a moment," he said patiently. "I want to watch you watching yourself," he added seductively. "Gods, you're so damned sexy, woman." Despite his words, though, he was moving his free hand around to unfasten his fatigues, and carefully placed himself at her entrance while he continued the assault on her senses. He could feel her nearing her peak, and every time she got close, he'd retreat a little, just enough to make her moan in desperation, before giving her the attention she wanted. "Tell me when you're about to come," he groaned against her shoulder. He licked the faded scar before nipping at it, and just barely pressed himself into her body.

Usagi tensed a little and hissed with pleasure, but when she tried to rock backwards to take all of him, she found herself pinned firmly in place. "Need you," she said heatedly. "Please Geta. Please claim me."

"When you're coming, Usa. Not before." But when she let out a soft, needy moan, he relented and gave her just a little of his length, clenching his teeth against the urge to slam into her. In a display of ridiculous willpower, he began to rock his hips slightly, moving carefully so as not to give her any more of him. "Is that what you want, woman? No, I want you to watch," he reminded her, when her head rolled back and her eyes closed in ecstasy. "Come for me and I'll reward you with all of me."

"Close, Geta. Please, just… just a little more. I'm begging," she added with a near-sob. He was teasing her again when she was just about to teeter over the edge, and the frustration almost had her in tears. Then she felt his pleasure at making her beg for it, and her beast rose up in response. "Take me, my prince. Make me yours again," her inner Saiyan whispered. "Bite me," she added just as softly, sensing his temptation through the bond. "I want you to mark me as yours, my prince. Then I want you to fuck me until you're satisfied."

"Gods, woman," Vegeta groaned, moving his fingers back to her nub to give it his full, undivided attention. He continued to move inside of her slowly, and when she suddenly arched into his hand as he felt her just barely begin to tighten, he slammed inside of her with the full force of a Saiyan warrior needing to truly claim his mate. He buried his teeth in shoulder at the same time, and growled in approval when she yelled so loudly that he was sure the sound had carried throughout the palace.

Beyond words, he was reduced to grunts, growls, and snarls of pleasure as he took her hard and fast, golden flames exploding around the both of them as his inner animal rose to the forefront and took control. He clamped down on her renewed mark for a second time when she cried out his name and tried to move in time with him, but he had her firmly pinned to his chest and effectively immobilized as he did as she'd bade him and used her for his pleasure.

Usagi watched the pair of Saiyans mating violently in the mirror, her eyes smoky with lust. Gods, was that really them? Were they really that intense when Geta claimed her? And damn it if he wasn't right, the woman in that mirror was an absolute vision. Her head was tipped back a little as she fully surrendered her body, her unpinned hair cloaking them in waves of gold, her face flushed and sweaty as her lips parted to draw breath between moans of passion and desire. And whenever she came, Usagi could see the way her back bowed enticingly and her thighs shook from the onslaught of pleasure as she held onto the arm around her waist to keep her steady.

And then there was her mate, and the sight of him made her beast lick its chops. Vegeta's face was tense with concentration as he was obviously trying not to finish yet, his corded neck strained every now and again as it rolled back and he growled with pleasure. Her beast was even more aroused at the sight of his golden hair, and those fierce, piercing green eyes gazing right back at her in the mirror as he watched her as well. "We're beautiful, Geta," she whispered, ascending as well, as she felt a rush of pride as he suddenly came, his hips slamming into hers hard enough to bruise as he was pushed over the edge just at the sight of his mate in all her glory. "Better?' She asked huskily, once he'd retreated from her and spun her around to kiss her thoroughly.

"You said 'until I was satisfied,' woman," he grunted in response. "And I've got nearly three months of a lack of satisfaction to make up for." He bit down on her mark when her mouth dropped open to protest, and purred happily when that effectively shut her up. "Your words, woman, not mine," he reminded her. "Though I think I'll spare you that level of fucking for another hour," he added.

"Shower then?" Usagi asked hopefully.

"Fuck no," he snorted, lifting her easily to dump her on the bed. "I said 'that level.' I didn't say _anything _about not fucking you at all."

######################

"Hey."

Minako slowly cracked her eyes open to find her mate smiling down at her and thanked the gods that he was still seemingly sane. "Hey," she replied softly, reaching up to stroke her hand through his—thankfully—black hair. "How are you feeling? You've only slept for three days."

"Dear gods… was it really that long?" No wonder he'd had to pee so badly; the need was so damned urgent that he'd immediately rolled out of the bed and desperately lifted the lid of the toilet to piss for what seemed like an hour. "What'd I miss?" He asked with a little yawn, lying back down to turn her and snuggle her tightly to his chest while he purred contentedly.

"A huge battle, right out front, for starters. It was just after you passed out," she elaborated.

"Was anyone hurt?" He asked urgently, immediately sitting up to hunt for his scouter. "How are my men? Were any of them injured!? Oh gods, I should have been there; my first battle as an acting First, and I'm not even there to help because I can't control my stupid beast."

"Broly… beloved… if I tell you any of this…"

"I—I won't freak out," he whispered into her hair. "Or at least… I'll try not to."

"We won, let me say that first, ok? We definitely won that fight, but it… it was against the Althean rebels." She felt him tense at that and didn't say anymore as she soothingly ran her fingertips up and down his back.

"Did we kill them all?" He growled softly, shoving his face roughly into her hair to draw in her scent and calm his beast.

Mina nodded slowly. "We're pretty sure, yes. We lost fifteen warriors as a result, and there were a lot of injured. In—including Raditz," she added with more than just a hint of worry to her voice. "He nearly died, and word has it, he's scarred up from a group of firestarters."

Broly blinked as he felt a flicker of… something… through the bond, and rose up to look at her. "Minako?" He asked sternly. When she looked up at him, and he felt that flicker again—he was positive it was guilt that time—his eyes hardened a little. "I'm going to ask you this once, and only once. And if you tell me the truth, I swear on my tail not to be angry."

The lightbender didn't even need to hear the question; her eyes filled up with tears as she held a hand up between them in a silent request for a moment to compose herself. "Yes," she finally sighed. "But it all happened exactly as I told you. I only care about him as a friend, Broly. That's all, and nothing more, I swear it. You can see into my mind and know it's the truth, can't you?" She added in a whisper. "I love _**you**_, Broly, and no other man. And I'm carrying _**your**_ children, not someone else's. _**I'm yours**_."

Her mate growled softly under his breath, but he'd sworn not to be angry about it. It was done, it was over with, and she'd been nothing but honest with him from the very first time they'd spoken. About everything. And he couldn't find fault with Raditz in good conscious, even though he was a little jealous that he'd had Minako's innocence. He saw it in her mind now, not the gory details, but rather the encounter in the hallway. Raditz had been looking for a blonde, someone that resembled the princess, and he had struck gold. Furthermore, he knew that Raditz was now mated and no longer a threat to his claim on Mina whatsoever.

"Broly?" Mina whispered, her hands and voice trembling as she looked up at him. He'd been quiet for a long time, and his eyes had flickered to green more than once. "You're scaring me." She didn't expect his mouth to suddenly crash into hers while his hands frantically tugged at her clothing, and she fought to stay submissive despite her fear.

"Mine," he grunted, pulling away just long enough to gaze down at her. "Say it for me again, woman."

"I'm yours," she replied, as a few tears escaped her eyes. She couldn't help but be terrified not only for herself and the twins, but for Raditz as well, as she feared a reversion to the state he'd been in days ago. He'd been hard, unshakably stubborn, and downright petrifying whenever she'd so much as seemed like she was going to defy him. She'd instinctively become as submissive as possible no matter what he wanted, and while he hadn't so much as put a bruise on her, he'd still scared the hell out of her.

The sight of her crying broke his resolve to take her right then and reestablish his claim over her, and he sighed heavily as he rolled them to their sides and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm not angry, Mina. A little upset? Yes, I won't lie. Jealous, too. I would have been honored to be your first, but since we hadn't even met yet, I can hardly hold it against either of you, even a little bit.

"How's Reiko?" He asked, changing the subject while he bent his head to nibble at her mark.

Mina relaxed against him gradually and rested her forehead on his chest, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Surely if it was so slow, he wasn't angry with her, right? "Recovering from burnout, but otherwise fine. The same with Rei. They really threw down during the fight, too; Reiko's the whole reason that Trunks and Raditz managed to get the royal family to safety. Paragus is with them both right now; he promised to call if there was any change. I also promised to call both him and Usagi when you woke… if you don't mind. She's nearly as worried about you as me and your father, Broly."

"Beloved… I don't remember much of anything, you know." When she nodded slightly, he felt a wave of dread run through him. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," she breathed so softly that he barely heard her. "But… I thought you would," she admitted with a shudder. "You got mad at me, the first day, when I wouldn't take a nap, and…"

Broly heard her swallow and choke back a sob and saw the memory in her mind, looked at his Legendary form through her eyes. He'd been awesome and terrifying at the same time, and when she wouldn't do as she'd been told, he'd roared at her so loudly that she'd burst into tears and huddled against the wall on the extreme corner of the bed, as far away from him as possible.

"_Please don't hurt me," Mina sobbed, shaking violently as he slowly approached her. "I'm sorry, I'll take a nap if that's what you want." Then she flinched as he reached out to brush his hand down her face, and squinted her eyes shut in fear when he climbed onto the bed and pulled her tightly into his arms._

_ "Relax," he rumbled, almost gently; it wasn't quite the way Broly sounded when he was trying to comfort her, but it was close. That decided her, that he was still somewhere in there. "I would never harm you, woman. You are my mate, and the mother of my children," he breathed into her hair, his hand slowly moving over her abdomen in the lightest of caresses. _

_ Mina nodded slightly into one of his massive arms, and when he began to purr comfort to her she relaxed a little. "Please come back to me, beloved." _

_ Broly didn't respond to that, he merely tipped her face up and gazed down at her with those hard, green eyes before lowering his mouth to hers and kissing her slowly. Mina had melted at that; half-crazed Super Saiyan or not, the way he was kissing her and touching her spoke only of the man she was in love with. That began her determination to hope that he would return, and to try her damnedest to bring him back to her the way he'd been before. And she would do it at all costs, even at the price of her pride._

"I'm sorry," Broly sighed. "Mina… I'll do whatever I can to never let that happen again. I'll go with the prince to Earth, and maybe I'll learn how to control that… monster inside of me. But no matter what happens, Mina, I'll never harm you. I swear it on my tail… on everything I am. You were my anchor during that time, I think. You kept me calm, kept me grounded. Will you come to Earth with me?"

"Of course I will, beloved. You're not going anywhere without me by your side… crazy-ass Super Saiyan or not."

At that, he smiled, bending his head to kiss her as he rolled her onto her back. "Just lay there and enjoy this, beloved," he purred in her ear. His fingers dexterously removed her clothing and his mouth descended onto every inch of exposed flesh he could find, and when she moved to touch him he stopped. "Now… what did I say?" Broly chuckled, nipping at her breast.

"Just lay here and enjoy it?" Mina asked, looking up at him questioningly.

"Exactly. Now… do as your told, and I promise you won't regret it, beloved. Trust me," he added tenderly, his mouth trailing down her slightly rounded stomach, all the way down to her exposed heat. "Trust me?" He repeated in the form of a question.

When he gave her a slow, hot lick, Mina moaned and nodded. "Do that again and I'll trust you with anything you want, honey."

**So, when it occurred to me that poor Geta had very likely not gotten any for WEEKS, I had to do that little bit of smut there towards the end, lol. So much for trying to make the next few chapters solely storyline… I'm sure some of you ladies are pleased, though, hehehehe. Don't worry, LOTS more plotline is coming up, so much of it that'll it be several chapters before we eventually get back to Earth. R&R… you know it makes me write faster!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Here you go, you mooches. The next chapter of History! And just FYI, I have another alternate universe one-shot out for History, you can go to my profile and select the History Rated M Oneshots. It'll be chapter 2. Chapter 1 was the "what if Vegeta-sai was never destroyed" thing. Yeah, I converted it to a compendium of sorts. Also, I have a new story out! Unprofessional Relations! It's a V/U pairing, and I KNOW yall will like it, so check it out! And please R&R!**

His nostrils flared and he turned his head towards the doorway, narrowing his eyes. "You shouldn't be here, woman."

Bulma sighed and shook her head before crossing the room and kissing his forehead. "I was worried about you. I told Goku if he wanted me to ever do a favor for him again—such as going up to the Lookout and asking Korin for more senzu—he'd bring me with him."

Raditz couldn't help but flinch a little when her fingertips brushed over the left side of his face and the scars he knew were there. "Vegeta-sai's dangerous right now. You should be on Earth where it's safe."

"I'm not safe with you, beloved?" Bulma asked softly.

"Woman, I barely survived the attack myself. So no, you're not. Go home," Raditz replied gruffly.

A little hurt by his rejection, Bulma pulled away and blinked away the tears that welled up in her eyes. "I just… Raddy… I was terrified. I felt you dying, and I thought I'd die, too. Please… please don't send me away. You'd want to be with me if our positions were reversed, wouldn't you?"

"I wouldn't leave your side," Raditz admitted softly. "Come here," he sighed, tugging her into his arms as he began to purr happily as her scent hit his nose. "You'll stay at the palace at all times unless you're escorted by the Elite. Understood?"

Bulma nodded emphatically, not about to argue when she was getting what she wanted. "So… I hear you're the big hero," she whispered into his hair, her fingertips trailing up his thigh. "I don't suppose I could give you a hero's greeting?" She asked coyly.

Not about to turn down any type of offer from his mate, Raditz grinned. "It's not exactly private in here, you know."

"Makes it all the more exciting then, doesn't it?" Bulma chuckled, pulling at his spandex shorts.

"Wait," Raditz said suddenly, frowned as she began to lower herself onto him. "You mean… you don't find me… unattractive?" He asked slowly, unable to hide his self-conscious embarrassment.

"Raditz, you are without argument the sexiest damned man I've ever laid eyes on," she breathed, brushing her mouth over his. "If anything, those scars make you even hotter," she added truthfully. "Now, are you going to claim you mate, or—" Bulma moaned when he suddenly bit down on her mark forcefully and thrust into her, swamping her with so much pleasure that she was already teetering on the edge of orgasm. "_**Holy**_—"

"Shut up and come for me, beloved," Raditz purred, slamming into her as hard as he would let himself while she was carrying his child. Behind the pain over the last several days, the Saiyan in him had still craved her very presence, and he found himself finishing before she'd even come for him a third time. He continued to take her however, just to ride her through the third, before flopping back into the exam table, gasping for air.

"You ok?" Bulma asked softly, leaning down to kiss him gently.

"Fine," Raditz sighed. "Just missed you… and I'm still healing a little," he admitted. "I needed that, though," he added before kissing her thoroughly. "You're perfect, Bulma," he murmured into her hair, once he'd released her. "Thank you for coming to me."

"Anything for you, beloved."

#######################

"Ami!" Usagi giggled, giving the doctor a tight hug. "I finally get to see you out of the infirmary!"

Ami echoed her laugh and nodded. "Yes, I know, it's been a little nuts, hasn't it? How are you feeling? All healed up?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Oh gods… is that Cicely?" Usagi added in wonder as Nappa approached, carrying a dark-haired infant that was practically invisible in his huge arms.

"I know, she's huge isn't she?" Ami said warmly, smiling with delight as her mate bent low to kiss her.

"Actually… I thought a child of Nappa's would have come out the size of a five year old brat," Usagi admitted. "May I?"

"Only if you trade," Ami chuckled, moving around the princess to unstrap the prince. "Oh, that's it, baby boy. Come to Aunt Ami," she cooed, lifting him into her arms. "He's so perfect, Usagi. He looks just like your father did, at least in coloring. That face is totally Vegeta, though."

"Don't I know it," the princess replied, cradling Cicely carefully as she secretly wished for a daughter. "So… any plans for more?"

"Of course," Nappa said smugly. "I've been working on it all week, actually. But someone wants to wait," he chuckled.

"You try carrying thirteen pounds of Saiyan baby in your body when you're only five feet tall!" Ami said good-naturedly. "I can only imagine how damned heavy a boy would be if he took after you, Nappa."

"I recall the king once mentioning that Nappa only weighed twenty-five pounds at birth. Considering how big he is, that's not as much as you'd think, Ami."

Ami merely paled a little and shook her head. "Here, let's see what they do," she suggested, setting Veggie on the floor. "Cee Cee's already crawling a little and saying a couple words."

"Veggie's not crawling, but he's been babbling. I figure the first word's coming eventually." Usagi set Cicely down in front of her son, and both women just gaped as both babies immediately grinned at each and other and started going back and forth in an animated conversation that only they could understand. "Holy shit. Didn't expect that," Usagi said in wonder. "Guess they like each other. What?" She asked, when Nappa growled a little.

"Damned boys."

"Nappa, she's like, only a couple months old. I highly doubt any warriors are going to be interested in mating for a few more years. Besides… this is what you get for being such a manwhore in your younger years," Usagi added with a grin. "I've heard the stories, you know."

"Raditz had better have nothing but a slew of girl brats," the trainer muttered.

"Nope, Bulma's having a boy."

"Lucky asshole. He won't have to kill dozens of suitors."

"Actually, Nappa… with your luck, Raditz's son will feel the pull for Cee Cee," Usagi teased, grinning at the glare he shot her way.

"Over my dead body."

###################

"Grandfather? You asked to see me?" Trunks asked softly.

King Vegeta regarded his future grandson seriously and nodded, pointing at the chair in his study as he came around and pulled another chair up adjacent to it. "Sit, boy. Bare your unmarked shoulder."

Trunks did it without question, but he couldn't help but wonder what in the hell was going on. He needn't have asked, the king was clearly going to ink him and was already rolling open a leather kit of needles.

"This tattoo hasn't been done in over two hundred years, boy. Just so you know. It's given only for the most selfless acts of bravery in service to the crown… it is a great honor, boy," the king finished gravely.

"But… I'm honored, grandfather, but… I didn't do anything special. I just helped get you all out."

King Vegeta smiled and shook his head; the boy hadn't been raised on Vegeta-sai, so he'd explain it to him. "You didn't feel that urge to stay and fight? Your beast rising up and baring his teeth at the scent of blood and battle?"

"Well, yeah. Of course I did, but getting you all out was far more important than—"

"That is not an easy urge to ignore," the king said, cutting him off with a small wave. "And ignoring that instinct, for any Saiyan, is downright remarkable. Not only that, but you ran back through the crossfire and grabbed your mother, still fighting that urge the whole way. Am I right?"

Trunks nodded a little and shrugged. "Sure, I wanted to just cover her while I blasted those bastards to hell and back. But we had to get you and the baby out."

"And then to top it all off, you went back for Raditz when most would have assumed him dead at the very sight of him. Which is why you're being marked with the Pride of the Army, boy. Now hold still, I'm as good at this as your mother, but I don't do it as often, and I've obviously never done this mark before."

"Wait," Trunks said quickly. "What about Raditz!? Uncle Radu not only did the same thing, but he orchestrated the retreat and nearly lost his life in the process! If anyone deserves this mark it's him."

"Usagi's going to do his once she's got his arms fully healed," the king said absently, beginning the border of it the moment his grandbrat had relaxed. "She'll have to do a cover-up on his old army tattoo with the Pride of the Army, and then redo his army ink on his other shoulder. Gods know, none of us would ever expect that boy to ki burn the old mark after the roasting he went through. I wouldn't be surprised if he's terrified of fire, now."

"Oh no," Trunks groaned. "Grandfather, the pyres are tonight for the fallen, aren't they? What… what exactly is the protocol for that? I mean, we… for Kale, in my timeline…"

"Your uncle didn't give him the proper funeral rites?" King Vegeta asked in shock.

"No, we did… I think. I mean, I'm sure we did, but Uncle Radu said that we were missing some stuff. But we did the best we could, given the circumstances. Kale… his death was my fault because I couldn't ignore that damned instinct to fight," Trunks admitted softly.

"And I'm sure he'd be proud that his death wasn't in vain, boy," the king replied almost gently. "The lesson you learned saved your mother's life, and likely your younger self. Maybe even me." Vegeta actually found himself purring comfort to his grandson as the boy hung his head in silence while he continued to hold still for his ink, and after a few more minutes he stopped and started cleaning his needles.

"That's it?" Trunks asked curiously, looking down at the sunburst of Vegeta-sai encircled in Saiyan glyphs.

"Simple is best, boy."

"What does it say, Grandfather?"

"For unmatched bravery, honor, and loyalty. For courage without equal. This warrior is the Pride of the Army." The king smiled when his grandson blushed and tipped his lavender head in respect.

"I'm deeply honored, Grandfather."

"I'm honored to call you kin, brat. Now… your Uncle Turles and Uncle Kakarot were looking for you, so you'd better go find them. They came in pretty drunk last night, and I can only imagine how bitchy they're both going to be with the resulting hangover."

Recalling how Uncle Raditz had drunk himself into oblivion after Kale's death, Trunks nodded slowly. That hangover had been the stuff of legends, and it had taken a senzu bean in the end just to get it to finally go away. "I'd better hurry, then," he groaned.

Trunks homed in on his uncles' ki signatures and made his way through the palace, blushing at the way servants and warriors alike were stopping at the sight of his shoulder and bowing their heads slightly in respect, something that his uncle had told him spoke volumes on Vegeta-sai. He finally tracked down Turles and Goku though, who both gave him identical grins when he walked into the room. "The king said you were looking for me?"

Turles nodded, but stopped at the sight of Trunks's shoulder and inclined his head a little. "Warrior."

Goku did the same before studying it closely. "So, this is what you were telling me about, Turles?"

"Yeah. The Pride of the Army. Boy earned every drop of that ink," Turles grunted. "And now… we're going to take him out to celebrate. Shall we?"

"No, no, no. I don't drink," Trunks said quickly, backpedaling towards the door to make his escape… at least until Goku ascended and effectively blocked his retreat with a savage showing of his teeth that barely qualified as a smile. "Uncle Goku?" He practically squeaked.

"Oh no, boy. That's your Uncle Kaka," Turles chuckled darkly. "And _**we**_ are taking _**you **_somewhere special. And before you get any ideas of escape, I'll have you know that we've put an awful lot of planning into this and we've taken into account _every _possible means of escape you could plan. So just come with us and don't give your favorite uncles any trouble."

"Tell me where we're going and I'll come," Trunks said slowly.

"Oh, you're going to come anyway, boy," Kakarot laughed, slinging an arm over his shoulders as he led him towards an exit.

"Pun intended, brother?" Turles chuckled.

"Most definitely."

Not having much of a choice, Trunks lifted into the air with one of them on each side, and after two different escape attempts on the way, he finally gave up when Kakarot threatened to truss him up and throw him over his shoulder. "What's this place?" He asked as they touched down in front of a large house.

"You'll see," the brothers chuckled in unison, ushering him in the door. "Oh ladies! We brought you a present!" Turles called.

"L—Ladies…?" Trunks squeaked, immediately scrambling for the door. He found himself effectively blocked by six hundred pounds of combined Saiyan muscle, and swallowed the lump in his throat when he looked for another exit only to see a dozen gorgeous, half-naked women licking their lips and regarding him like he was an appetizer. "Um… uh… I'll be going now," he babbled, going so far as to ascend and dart out a window.

Goku easily intercepted him though, and dragged him back in kicking and screaming, only to dump him on a couch. "Sit, puppy. Now that you're a bona fide hero, these ladies are going to make you a man," he chuckled. "He's all yours, girls."

"What a pretty little virgin prince," Celes purred as she straddled Trunks, gently pushing him back down into the pile of pillows on the sofa. "Ladies, I think I'd better handle this one privately before we try and give him a heart attack."

"Poor boy," one of the girls giggled. "We'll give you an hour, Celes, but then you'd better share some of that sexy young cock with us."

"Oh, you'll all get your fair share," the madame promised, smiling down at her beet red victim… er, lover. "Now… Turles, Kakarot… I think I can handle the boy from here. Unless you two would like to watch?" She asked suggestively.

"Pass," they both laughed at once. "And Trunks," Kakarot added with a feral grin, "if Celes tells us that you didn't lay there and enjoy every minute of this, Turles and I are going to beat you to within an inch of your life."

"So you may as well get fucked to within an inch of it," Turles added with a cackle, ushering his brother out the door.

"Now… where were we, handsome?" Celes asked softly, delighting in his shiver as she trailed her mouth down his throat. She stopped when he began to tremble, however, and sighed heavily. "Come on," she offered patiently, sliding off of him and onto her feet. "Let's fix you a drink, sugar. You really need to relax."

"I need an adult," Trunks whimpered.

Celes laughed at that and helped him up before handing him a glass of rum. "You are just too cute, sugar. Here. And don't worry, I'm not trying to get you drunk, I'm just trying to calm you down. Let that inner Saiyan take over a little, Trunks. It's just pussy," she teased. After he'd downed half the glass, she chuckled and shook her head. "I'd guess you've never even kissed a girl, have you, honey?"

"No," Trunks huffed, already feeling a little better thanks to the alcohol. "There's no girls where I come from. Other than my cousin, Bra. And well… she's my _**cousin**_." He shuddered at the thought. "Ew."

"Come here, honey," Celes said gently, switching from seduction mode to soft and gentle. She cupped his face in her hands then and kissed him slowly, simply moving her mouth over his for a long minute, and when she pulled away she found her quarry flushed and embarrassed. "There… now that your first kiss is out of the way, why don't we take care of your first blowjob?" She chuckled. "Ok, too soon," she said with an understanding smile. "Let's ease you into it, little prince."

"Hey, I'm not _that_ little," he snorted into his drink, a bit emboldened by the liquor. He finished it with a couple swallows and set down the glass before sighing. "And they weren't serious… were they? Is Uncle Goku really going to beat the shit out of me?"

"That was the ingenious plan your uncles hatched last night over a bathtub of alcohol," Celes confirmed, still smiling as she pushed his shirt over his head before he could protest. "And Kakarot's been coming out of Goku a lot, it seems. So I wouldn't tempt him. I think he really might beat the hell out of you."

"The lady or the tiger," Trunks groaned. "I guess I'd better just do this and make them happy." He was shut up when Celes kissed him again and pushed him back down into the pillows, but when he tried to speak, she hushed him.

"Just relax, sugar. Let me do all the work," she whispered as she unbuckled his pants and began to slide them down.

"Wait, but… what about you?" Trunks asked. "I mean…" He blushed to his toes when she gazed down lustfully at his arousal. "…Uncle Radu always said that the woman should get just as much pleasure… if not more… right?"

"I think I'm in love," Celes purred. "Oh, I'm going to have to thank Raditz later on for teaching you how things should be, honey. But… as far as I'm concerned," she continued as she trailed her mouth slowly over and down his chest, "you're still a virgin, sweetheart. So let's make this all about you before I give you some lessons in pleasing a woman. Sound fair?"

Trunks could only nod as he felt his inner Saiyan rearing up from the combination of alcohol and arousal, and he quickly found himself fighting for breath as she blew lightly on his erection, making it jump.

"Relax," she whispered. "Breathe, honey."

Then he felt her mouth brush over him and he whimpered softly, clutching at the couch cover as his body arched with a will of its own. "I—um—Celes, I think—"

"It's ok, Trunks. It's normal for your first time," she assured him before taking him fully in her mouth. The madame made a happy little noise when he cried out in pleasure, his hands bunching in her long hair as he instantly erupted into the back of her throat, and when she finally raised her head he found himself wanting more. "Was it good, Trunks?" She whispered seductively.

"Your turn," his beast growled, quickly reversing their positions.

"I'm _definitely_ going to have to thank your Uncle Raditz."

#####################

"Has anyone seen Trunks?" Usagi asked worriedly. "I've been looking for him for hours and either the boy's disappeared completely or someone's not telling me something."

Under her hard stare, Goku finally snickered and Turles whacked him in the back of the head. "Damn it, Kakarot! You never can keep your mouth shut, can you?"

"What have you done with my son, Kakarot?" Usagi asked slowly, noting that Turles didn't react to the news that Trunks was hers.

"It's not what we did," the older brother supplied, "it's where we took him… and what's being done to him by people who _aren't_ us."

"People with tits," Kakarot added. "_Amazing_ tits, I might add."

Understanding dawned on Usagi's face and she didn't know whether to laugh or be horrified. She eventually went with the latter. "What have you done to my boy?" She growled, ascending as she slammed Kakarot into the wall. "Either you tell me where you took him or I rip out your throat."

"Whoa, Usa! Chill out!" Goku chuckled. "We took him to Celes's, down in—"

"Oh, I'm going to kill you _**both**_!" She snarled, whipping out her scouter. "Father, two of the three pigs took Trunks to Celes. Yes, they threw him to the whores—it's **not funny**, Father! Go get him **now!**" She yelled into the scouter. "Gods, my poor virgin boy," she mumbled, hanging up on the king.

"Not anymore," Kakarot snickered. "Now he's a man."

"And neither of you will be when I'm done ripping off your balls!" Usagi shouted, giving him a shove before stalking off to find Raditz, whom she'd originally been looking for before she realized that Trunks was missing.

She found her nightguard speaking in hushed tones with a grinning, ecstatic Nappa, and briefly wondered what was up between the two before glaring at Raditz. "If you had anything to do with what's going on with Trunks, you'd better tell me now or I swear I'll make you regret it," she growled.

The look of confused curiosity on Raditz's face spoke volumes and she simply rolled her eyes. "You are such a bad fucking influence on your brothers, I swear. They took Trunks to Celes's."

Raditz's eyes widened in understanding, and he and Nappa erupted into uncontrollable fits of laughter, holding their sides as they were forced to sit down. "Oh gods… too funny… poor kid…"

"It's funny because you did it to Turles," Nappa snickered. Once he was over his laughter he slapped Raditz on the back and grinned. "Thanks, Raditz. I owe you."

"Just remember to get some senzu from Kakarot first, Nappa. Or she'll feel it come morning. Trust me on that one, we learned it the hard way."

"Huh?" Usagi asked.

"Nothing," both men said quickly, grinning sheepishly. Raditz eyed her kit in hand and grimaced a little. "Time for new ink, huh? Are we going to—"

"No," Usagi said quickly, forgetting whatever it was they'd been grinning over. "Radu, you know I wouldn't do that to you. Just give me your other shoulder, brother."

Raditz sighed in relief and nodded, doing as he was told. He let her work in silence for a while before speaking softly. "The pyres are tonight, aren't they?"

"Yeah," she replied in a whisper. "Father's asked me to sing them to rest."

"Wow… really?" Raditz asked with interest. That was a huge honor since Saiyans didn't really appreciate music so much as other races, and very few of their kind could carry a tune. But he'd heard Usagi sing to herself plenty of times, and the princess had a lovely voice. "I'm sure you'll do us all proud, Usa."

She sighed and nodded, more than a little nervous at the prospect. Singing with Gure and her kin while healing was one thing, but this was… this was big. Singing a funeral was so highly honored that only a select few ever did it. "I'm terrified that I'm going to crack a note or squeak or miss a chorale something. Gods… I almost wish that I'd turned them down, but… I couldn't do that. Not after all those warriors jumped in without hesitation to defend us all. It was a very brave thing they did."

"Yeah, it was. The perfect death," Raditz agreed.

And speaking of honor and bravery… "Ok, done. I swear, I could do the House of Bardock symbol in my damned sleep by now. There's so damned many of you turds."

"What can I say? We don't die. We multiply."

"Bullshit," Usagi snorted. "You all die. You just get lucky as hell and get wished back. Then you fuck like bunnies and breed more spawn before dying and getting wished back again. Now, other shoulder."

"Huh?"

"Cover-up for the old one. I had something awesome in mind, and I don't want you to look until I'm done, ok?" Usagi chuckled when he eyed her suspiciously. "I swear, Radu. I'm not going to tat you with a space whore brand or anything. Just trust me, ok? I swear you'll like it."

"Alright…" He said slowly, looking away as he gave her his shoulder.

Usagi grinned as she began the sunburst, making it large enough so that it easily covered the mess that had been left behind from the battle, and she was finished with the rest of it in a matter of fifteen minutes. "There. Check it out."

His reaction was everything she could have ever hoped for. Raditz turned his head, and the pending horror and angst melted into shock and tear-filled eyes. "Usa… Usa, this… this is…"

"Everything you deserve, Radu," she whispered seriously, bending her head to peck him on the scarred side of his face. "I can never repay you enough. Trunks may have saved my life… but you saved my son's. And that… that is priceless. I'm indebted to you for life, brother."

"No, sister. This… this is… I'm honored," he finally breathed softly, wiping at his tears with the back of his hand. "The boy deserves this, too," he added, once he'd gotten his swell of emotions under control. "Not only did he go back for you, he went back for me. Anyone else would have assumed I was dead by then."

"Oh, Trunks got one too. Celes and her girls are fucking a genuine hero," Usagi snorted angrily. "And I'm going to kill your brothers when I see them, Radu."

"Usa… why are you so concerned with what happens to the boy? I have to admit… I've been awfully curious… and I know how jealous Vegeta is starting to get. I can't blame him, either. I would be, too."

Usagi sighed and sat down beside him. "Seriously? You boys are all so fucking dense, Radu! His hair and eye color. His face. The way he hangs around me all the time like a lost puppy. And when he's not with me, he's up yours or Vegeta's asses."

"_**No.**_"

"Aaaand he gets it. About damned time, Radu. I swear, all of you think I'm trying to fuck my son, what is wrong with you?" Usagi grinned at his open mouth and snorted. "In his timeline, you also raised him, you know. After Vegeta and I were killed."

"What!? I didn't fight!? Bullshit!" Raditz cried.

"Trunks said that I'd ordered you to get all the brats out, so you scooped up Kale, Veggie and Boxer and hid them all and kept them safe. I'd have to say that's an awful lot more important job than getting needlessly killed, Radu. You definitely deserve that ink," she added seriously. "It's not easy to follow orders or think about others when that bloodlust is screaming in your veins. So maybe the next time your asshole brother proclaims you to be the least Saiyan of us all, you should take it as a compliment. I know that I would personally love to learn that level of control in battle… but I simply don't have it. It's an advantage that you have over all of us, Radu.

###################

"Hey, beloved."

Rei glared violet daggers at her mate when he strode in and pecked her on the cheek as if she hadn't not seen him in three days. "I lie here, in and out, and you're not even here when I wake up!?" She fumed. "And then when I ask where you've gone, Vegeta's response was that you said, 'I'm going drinking, bitches.' What the fuck is wrong with you, Turles!?"

"Actually, that would be my fault," Kakarot said smoothly from the doorway. "I thought I'd apologize, sister. Turles has been spending some overdue fun brother time with me, and sort of educating me on why I've been acting… well, the way I've been acting," he finished with his hand behind his head and a sheepish grin. "And in his defense, he was here an awful lot, just not last night because we were wasted and then hungover."

"Oh… well, I suppose that I can forgive you, then… since you were teaching Kakarot about how to handle his instincts," she grumbled, still feeling weak from the burnout. "You're ok?" She directed at her brother.

"Yeah," Goku chuckled. "It's just… wow. I honestly don't know how all of you deal with this emotion… these hormones… from day to day. And Veal with this emotion...geta's always referred to me as an emotional sap."

"It's because you _show_ them, Kakarot," Turles snorted.

"But Raditz—"

"That's just Raditz," Rei cut him off with a snicker. "And no amount of picking on him for it has ever shamed him." As Turles edged closer, she snagged his tail with her own and gently tugged him over to her for a long, slow kiss. "Ah… I needed that," she sighed, unable to stop herself from purring.

Turles smirked a little and nodded. "Me too," he admitted. "You hungry?"

"Nah. Mother brought me something. Being full Althean, she recovered from the burnout after less than a day. Lucky bitch, I'd forgotten how long it takes me to come back from this sort of thing. I'll be fine by tomorrow, though. Are the pyres tonight?"

Turles and Kakarot both nodded grimly. "His Majesty requested that you, Reiko, and Hiroto be there as well to oversee the flames and make sure they don't get out of control."

"Huh… but a funeral this big should be out in the desert… you can't seriously be hinting that—" Rei groaned when Turles nodded. So, it was to be in the city, where all who wanted to could attend, despite the fact that the fire would be so huge that it could burn the city to the ground. "Dear gods. Yes, tell the king that we'll be there. You should get Ami to help as well, and any other waterwalkers avail—"

"No," Kakarot grunted. "Altheans aren't welcome at this, unless they're family to Saiyans. The people have all been perfectly clear on that. They harbor no ill will to any of you that are mated to Saiyans, and Hiroto's so well-known and revered that they're ok with him, too. But that's where they draw the line, Rei. Sorry," he sighed, when she looked like she was going to cry for a moment.

"This is going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it?" She whispered.

"There's been talk of kicking every Althean off the planet," Turles added gently, running his fingers through her hair. "I don't think it'll happen, but Nappa and I had a talk, and if that's the case, we'll all move to Earth."

"Mom and Paragus, too?"

"Everyone that's family. And Broly and Minako are coming anyway, so I honestly don't see Reiko and Paragus hanging around Vegeta-sai much longer," he chuckled.

"But… but what about our people that have nowhere to go?" She whispered worriedly.

"I'm willing to IT them all to Althea if they'd like," Goku stated easily. "In fact, the princess has voiced the desire to go there herself after the pyres. Vegeta and his father are planning an escort of Super Saiyans for her if she insists on going."

"I'm not a Legendary, but I'll be on that detail, Kakarot. Tell the king to count me in."

"No," Turles growled, "you're not travelling into hostile territory, Rei. Period."

"Um… fuck you?" She snorted. "And the horse you rode in on?"

"I'm serious."

"I never said you weren't, Turles. But I'm going, whether you like it or not. I'm Usagi's handmaiden, whether or not I'm mated. I speak fluent Althean, and I'm a well-trained firestarter. That last part makes me just as strong as Kakarot or Bardock, just in a different way."

"Then have Reiko go! At least if she suffers from burnout in a battle, she'll be recovered quickly! You had me worried to death, Rei! Why in the hell do you think I ran off with my baby brother and drank myself into a hangover of legend!?"

Kakarot and Rei both blinked at his outburst, and the latter of the two pulled Turles to her with a soft sigh, purring comfort for her upset mate. "Mother can't go, Turles. I don't know if Paragus has scented it yet, or if they're keeping it hush-hush for a little while, but I shared a bed with her for the first day. She's pregnant," she finished, trying to keep the note of jealousy out of her voice.

She'd come to grips with that emotion while she'd been recovering, and to her own disgust had realized that she _did_ want a baby. But she'd keep that blocked out of the bond for Turles's sake, and hopefully they could discuss children in a year or two. "It's a boy, I'm pretty sure. So much for being an only child," she added with a smirk, trying to bring some levity to the room.

Rei couldn't hide anything from him, but Turles chose not to let on that he knew what she'd been thinking for weeks, just as he'd decided not to tell her every time he felt her jealousy at seeing Usagi or Mako with their sons. Maybe Kakarot was right… maybe he should just bite the bullet and take on the responsibility of becoming a father. If that was what his mate really wanted… "We'll discuss the trip to Althea later," Turles finally stated. "Right now you need your rest, just in case the pyre gets out of hand tonight."

############################

"Vegeta."

The prince turned, his eyes narrowing and his good mood broken at the sight of his arch-rival. "What, Kakarot?"

"What I said the other day… I apologize for my disrespect, Highness," he said without a hint of emotion.

Vegeta made sure that his surprise didn't show on his face, and despite the fact that he disliked the other Saiyan most of the time, he nodded once. "Forgiven. Dismissed."

"Wait, Vegeta…" Goku felt Kakarot rising up in him for this next part, forcing his knee down and bowing his head low despite the rush of anger he felt at kneeling before a man who had tried to destroy his homeworld. Not only that, but baring his neck in such a way displayed his submission and his willingness to let Vegeta end his life right there if he so chose, and that did _**not**_ sit well with him. But the harder he fought it, the harder Kakarot pushed back, baring his teeth at Son Goku and snarling at his resistance. Kakarot won in the end, and when he spoke, it was the Saiyan in him, not the part that was raised as human. "My prince. I swear my fealty to you. My life, my strength, and my tail. Until death."

Vegeta just stared down at the taller Saiyan for a long moment before he could call upon his training from childhood and respond with the required words. "Your service is accepted, Kakarot," he said simply. "Now get off your damned knee, you're making me feel awkward," he snapped. But when the younger Saiyan rose, Vegeta noticed the battle going on in his eyes. "Turles said you were having some… trouble," he ventured. "Do you need some… help?"

"I'll be fine," Goku said tersely, clenching his fist as he continued to wage war against his other side.

"No," Vegeta sighed, relenting in his annoyance for Kakarot. "You won't be. You need to spend some more time with your father or Turles, since it seems that your Saiyan side is an awful lot like theirs. And you need to spend more time with your mate, Kakarot. She'll anchor that savage side. Trust me, I know." Rolling his eyes at Goku's expression, Vegeta huffed. "I can practically hear the questions rattling around in your head, Kakarot. What is it?"

"I've noticed the… change in you," he allowed. "Since Usagi landed. Vegeta… what were you like before Frieza took you? Before you two were separated? I don't mean any offense," he added quickly when Vegeta looked away and his mouth became a hard line. "Being separated from her for so long… is that part of what made you… well, such a prick?"

"Yes," Vegeta grunted, "part of it. The rest I'd rather not talk about, and leave it at that, Kakarot. But your suspicions are correct. A Saiyan warrior having a mate… it calms them, having that mental connection with another person that is usually your better half. It gives your beast something to focus on besides blood and war. And it's not just about sating your physical needs, either. That's why you should be with your mate right now, Kakarot. She'll get you through this… transformation. Or whatever it is. And I'll have to admit, Kakarot, you have my sympathy. I don't even want to know what it would be like to fight myself like you're doing. You're probably better off just embracing it."

At that, Goku sat down on a chair and ruffled his hair. "But… Vegeta, I'll lose myself. Everything I am or was. And honestly, I'm terrified of the idea. I like who I am."

"Somehow, Kakarot, I don't think that's what will happen. I think you'll still be your same, annoying self, only a little harder, a little more like a Saiyan warrior. Like you were up against Frieza," Vegeta assured him flatly. "Did Bulma run a brain scan yet?"

"It came back funny," Goku whispered with worry. "She's going to do another one."

The prince nodded at that and resisted the urge to pat Goku on the shoulder. "Do your IT thing, Kakarot. Go spend some time with your mate. But be back for the pyres tonight; yours and all of us that can ascend are required to be there by my father's orders."

Goku rose and nodded. "Vegeta… thank you."

"Just go," he huffed, "before I have to kick your ass."

########################

"There. Sit. Relax, boy." Bardock sat down on the sand and waited for Broly to visibly relax before continuing. "Good?"

"Yeah," Broly admitted. "Where's Kakarot?" He finally asked, touching on the question he'd been wanting to ask for an hour.

"With his mate, on the prince's orders, and he's not to be disturbed. He's fighting his inner beast awfully hard since his instincts are returning to him, and he needs the grounding that Chi-Chi will provide. Since I've trained with Kakarot the most, His Highness thought it would be best for me to work with you. Now… are you sure you want to do this, Broly? No one will think less of you for bowing out of the funeral services."

"No," he grunted, "I should be there. They died protecting us all." He sighed and willed himself to think of Mina, the only thing that relaxed him. "Now, what do I do?"

"When you're ready, slowly increase your ki. We're going to have you ascend calmly. Just think of your mate, your brats, anything that keeps you calm, alright?" Bardock nodded in approval when he felt Broly's ki rising. "Very good, Broly. Just go slow."

"But… but what if I lose control?" Broly asked worriedly.

"Don't think about that. And I have Minako on standby, not too far away. She's safe, at the winter palace," he added quickly. "If you need her, Paragus will bring her. So just relax and keep going."

"Ok." Broly closed his eyes and thought only of his love for his mate while he did as instructed, but when he reached a cliff, he stopped. He could jump over that cliff blindly and risk going nuts like he had before… or he could back off and—"

_I'm with you, beloved, _Mina's voice told him gently. _Do it._

_ Anything for you, beloved, _Broly sighed, as he pushed his energy level higher and threw himself headlong over that cliff and his hair and eyes shifted to that of a Super Saiyan.

**And then they all died in the massive explosion! The End!**


	30. Chapter 30

**FIRST OFF! THANK YOU SO MUCH to TopazDragon! Without her, this chapter would NOT have been possible; I have a very hard time channeling Mina for this story, and she went totally out of her way to write a rough draft of sorts for the Mina/Broly smut that is coming up. I used that and made it my own, but the building blocks of it were all her! THANK YOU, Ritz! I LOVE YOU!**

** Another HUGE thank you goes to AnaFrost and SeleneA for kicking me in the nuts and making me write even though I get squirreled every five minutes on another story (sometimes I have five or six of them pulled up at once lol). Me: Oooooo! You're gonna love this! Them: When are you gonna post something new for History?**

** And lastly… no. The world did not explode. Vegeta-sai is safe and sound from Broly's wrath… for now, anyway. :D Now… I know all of yall fans have been waiting on this particular update… so without further ado…! Read on!**

With a sigh, King Vegeta knocked on a door he hadn't seen in decades, but managed a bit of an amused smirk when Celes opened it and smiled up at him. "I believe you have something that I'm looking for, woman."

"Why, Majesty… I have plenty of things that you could be looking for. One thing in particular," the madame purred in reply, tipping him a wink as she stepped aside to let him enter.

"Unless you have my grandbrat hiding in your snatch, Celes, I'd beg to differ."

Celes laughed at that and shook her head. "Two hours late for that, Majesty. He's hiding in someone else's right now. Probably Viola's; our young little stud seems to have a thing for brunettes." Turning her head, she shouted up the stairs towards the private entertaining rooms. "Viola, my dear!"

"Coming!" A young woman's breathless cry answered.

And a very faint "Not yet you're not" followed in the growling tone of a young man. Vegeta lost it at that and dropped onto a plush couch to laugh his ass off while Viola's voice sounded out again, only this time in a cry of ecstasy. "Good to know that he's as skilled as I am. Fruit of my loins, that boy."

"If I recall those loins correctly… and in great detail… I'd have to agree," Celes chirped as she set a glass of wine in front of him. "If my race didn't heal so damned fast I'd be in the med tank after the pounding I took from that boy."

Vegeta frowned at that. "Did he hurt you, woman?"

Celes's head tipped back as she laughed and shook from the force of it. "Oh no, Majesty… he's just _very_ enthusiastic. I definitely got my pleasure from him… several times, I might add. The boy also has the stamina of a royal Elite. Which is no surprise, since he pretty much is one."

Viola came down the stairs then, thoroughly disheveled and only half-dressed, her legs still shaking from Trunks's latest attentions. "Oh, Majesty," she said quickly, her voice trembling as much as the rest of her. "Excuse me, I was just—"

"Doing my grandbrat, yes," Vegeta chuckled. "I've come to retrieve the boy, since we'll need him for tonight. Boy!" The king yelled up the stairs.

"Oh, keep your socks on, Grandfather," Trunks snorted from somewhere upstairs. "I sensed your ki."

"And here I thought I'd be coming to rescue him from all of you horny little temptresses."

"No," Trunks chuckled from the top of the steps, hair all disheveled and love bites covering his neck and chest. "You're rescuing them from me." He took Viola's hand in his and kissed her knuckles as he descended the stairs. "I'll be back for more of you before I go to Earth, beautiful."

Viola giggled and shook her head. "Insatiable boy. I'll be waiting with legs wide open."

"Your mouth better be, too," he replied smoothly before he pecked her lips and joined the king on the ground floor. Trunks stretched a little and popped his neck while he grinned up at his grandsire. "Well? I thought you were going to rescue me? We should go back and pretend that the women broke me and scarred me for life; I'm sure it would put my uncles on one hell of a guilt trip," he snickered.

##########################

Bardock couldn't help but tense a little, but due to his extensive training as an Elite commander, he managed not to let his fear show when Broly erupted into the violent golden ki flames of a Super Saiyan. "Well?" He asked slowly, once he was half-sure that the younger Saiyan wasn't going to freak out and kill him.

Broly's face scrunched up a little bit as he fought down and leashed his inner beast, but he kept his seat on the sand and didn't start screaming his head off. To him that was a start, at least. "I think… I think I'm alright," he said slowly, inwardly smirking at the sound of his mate cheering in his head. _I don't suppose I can get some victory sex when I get back?_

_ Only if you make love to me as a Super Saiyan, _Minako chuckled.

_Consider it done, woman .If you weren't carrying my brats, I'd fuck you to within an inch of your life._ "Sorry," he said aloud. "Speaking with Mina."

"I thought as much. Time to test you out though, boy," Bardock said firmly, though inside he was sighing at the prospect. _Gods… please don't let this brat beat me senseless or kill me in a blind rage. _The older Saiyan powered up then to his maximum with a loud battle cry, followed by a hand gesture that commanded Broly to stand. "We're going to go all-out, boy. I want to make sure you can keep your shit together in a fight."

Broly stood and shook his head a little after testing out his own power level with a ki flare. "Bardock, it doesn't… feel the same."

"It's because you're not freaking out. Probably."

"No… it's not that. It's… I feel diminished, somehow. Like there's more power. A _lot _more power. Only I'm not tapping into it. It's almost like I'm half-assing it somehow."

Bardock shook his head in wonder; the younger warrior's power level was even higher than his own or Kakarot's, and they were the two strongest Saiyans in existence… except for the Saiyan standing before him. "You ready, boy?"

Before Broly could even complete the minor action of nodding, Bardock flew at him and brought a beatdown so brutal that he could only defend as he merely tried to keep pace with the older and more experienced warrior.

"I said 'all-out,' boy!" Bardock snarled as he ki-blasted Broly into the air. "You'd better fucking bring it, or I'll be sending you back to your little mate in pieces!"

Apparently just _mentioning_ Minako was the necessary catalyst, because rather than fall to the ground, Broly blasted back down and right into Bardock, landing on top of him as he proceeded to beat the shit out of him. "Don't you _dare_ mention my woman!" He snarled in his face.

Bardock made the signal to end the match when he sensed that Broly was losing it, but when the younger Saiyan didn't stop, he fought through the pain to signal the one person who could get there in time, who immediately tackled Broly to the ground.

Kakarot hadn't come alone, either. "Beloved, _**stop**_!" Minako ordered firmly the moment she came into view, her mouth set in a hard line. Broly froze, then went limp against the massive set of hands pinning him, his features melting back to that of a normal Saiyan.

Bardock's youngest son nodded in approval and moved back when Broly began to tremble and shake, and Mina took his place, straddling her mate without a hint of embarrassment. "Shh," she whispered over and over again, running her hands soothingly through his hair and over his face. "It's alright, love. Relax, I'm here."

Broly's shaking eased as he relaxed beneath the only person he trusted anymore, his eyes slipping shut as she continued to simply pet him and utter sweet little reassurances to him. "Sorry," he finally muttered towards Bardock.

"No, brat. From what I hear, that was a lot better than last time. Right? You didn't stop at the signal, but you powered down easily once your mate ordered you to. We'll just have to keep Minako close during the next spar and see if you'll be able to focus better with her scent nearby."

"Here, Father," Goku chuckled, handing over a senzu. "He really worked you over."

"Yeah, no joke," Bardock grunted, followed by a cough that brought up some blood. "Brat punctured a lung at some point." He ate the senzu, though, and was right as rain in moments, no longer needing Kakarot's support to stay sitting up. "Boy… if you can learn to control that anger of yours during a real fight, you'll be un-fucking-stoppable."

"I'll help you work on it when we go to Earth," Goku offered cheerfully. "For now, I think you'll be fine during the funerals, at least."

"Will there be Altheans there?" Broly growled, his face contorting as he fought to control the urge to shift right back into a Super Saiyan.

"Only those that are mated to Saiyans. Not counting Hiroto," Mina told him gently, still petting him slowly. "Can you handle that, beloved?"

Broly nodded after a few moments of thought and sighed, relaxing once more from her attentions. "And the princess will be there if I get out of hand, right?"

"Along with five _other _Super Saiyans to restrain your ass," Kakarot added with a dark chuckle.

"You'll be just fine," Minako assured him as she helped him to his feet. "I'll be there, and I'll be just fine, too. And if you're a good boy, you can do that thing we talked about only a few minutes ago. Ok?"

"Oh, you've so got a deal, woman." The thought of taking her as a Super Saiyan while he was sane made his beast purr happily. Not only would he get his mate, but it was a subtle challenge to his control to take her like that without hurting her. And his inner Saiyan _loved_ a challenge.

########################

Minako gasped in surprise when Broly pressed her up against the wall and immediately ground his pulsing arousal into her lower stomach while he purred seductively and used his tail to spread his musk into the air. "I thought… after the pyres…"

"Want my mate _now_," he growled over the steady purr in his chest.

"But Broly, we have to get ready for—" Mina was cut off by a brutal, mouth-crushing kiss that she actually fought for a split second. Then her wrists were pinned as well and his growl overpowered his purr… and she knew from the spike of power through the bond that she was in some serious trouble. _You're scaring me a little, beloved. Please slow down._

Mina sighed in pure relief when Broly loosened his hold a little bit and the onslaught of his mouth eased into a gentle coaxing as he teased her lips with his teeth and the tip of his tongue. Sighing with pleasure, Mina returned the kiss with a series of tiny nibbles as she felt his thoughts in her own mind. His inner beast was snapping at its leash, snarling at the opportunity to take her, but Broly kept reassuring her gently that he was the one in control... even if he did want her so badly that he was ready to let the beast loose.

His hands trailed down her arms in slow caresses that eased his pregnant mate and sent little tingles running through her, the calloused palms finally resting at her breasts to tease her nipples with a slow, light circling of his thumbs. "Beloved… not that I'm complaining, but…"

"Hmmm?" he chuckled, trailing his mouth slowly down her throat, purring with pleasure the moment her head went back in total surrender to his gentle seduction.

"I think I'm ready for you to get to the point," she whimpered, followed by a soft moan as he smoothly lifted her with one arm. Mina instantly wrapped her legs around him, arching a little to press her heat to his groin, and made a pleased sound when he growled with pleasure.

Funny how that growl suddenly wasn't scaring her, but exciting her now that his utter devotion to her and his driving need for her was being poured through the bond in a steady stream of emotion. Mina's breath hitched when it was suddenly no longer just emotions—but images—as she saw everything that he was fantasizing about doing to her… against the wall, on the floor, in the bed… hell, even in an alleyway just outside his home. "Dirty boy," she choked out.

"Oh, beloved…" Broly purred in her ear, his lips twitching up in a little grin, "…that's just _**tame**_ compared to what I'll do to you once I know I won't hurt our brats."

"Good to know," she squeaked. "I—um—I think we'll just stick with this," she added hurriedly as she yanked his head down for another slow, fiery kiss. But when she pulled back a little she gasped and would have lost her balance had Broly not had a firm grip on her. The eyes staring back into hers were forest green, and as she glanced up a little, she confirmed what she knew she'd find—spikes of gold where ebony had once rested. "Broly…?" She asked with a little tremble to her voice.

"I want you, Mina," he groaned, his voice coming out somewhere between a growl and a whisper, followed by a slow flexing of his hips, the tip of his arousal teasing along her cloth-covered folds. The barrier just barely stopped the inevitable, but they wouldn't for long. The moment he was sure that she was relaxed and totally willing, he was going to tear that piece of cloth to shreds and claim what was his.

When he flattened his erection over her gradually dampening panties and started to rock against her in a delicious rhythm, Mina moaned his name softly, only to whimper in disappointment when he ceased the much-needed friction. "Please…" She needn't have asked, he was already pulling the cotton to the side to expose her as he sent her more flashes of him taking her, pounding into her, making her scream with pleasure as she came over and over. "_**Please**_," she begged softly when he merely began to tease her, spreading her folds to only press the head of his cock into her… and no more than that. "Broly… beloved… I'm dying here… I need you now…"

"In a moment, beloved," he purred, trailing his mouth to her breast, where he took a heavy, darkened nipple between his teeth, rolling the bud and flicking out his tongue to tease the tip before giving it a slow, long suck. He growled in approval when Mina arched her back, using her grip on his hair to pull him closer just as she began to give him a dose of his own medicine, sending him images of them making love in every room in the house, pictures of her taking him in her mouth and driving him into oblivion. "Pushing your luck, beloved," her Super Saiyan mate warned her, nipping at her mark to make her pant heavily with need.

That sound turned him on even more—if that was even possible—and Broly's beast purred at the sound of it and the sight of his mate's pure perfection—head tilted back in total submission, breasts arching in an invitation for him to suck, and the feeling of her heat flexing slightly around the head of his arousal. And her stomach was the best thing of all… proof that she was carrying his brats. "You're so fucking beautiful," he murmured against her shoulder as he began to nip and nuzzle her mark.

A shot of pure desire shot through him the moment he sank his teeth into the porcelain flesh, and he groaned at the musical sound of his little mate moaning his name as she nearly climaxed right then and there, the noise making him want nothing more than to drive forward and empty himself inside of her over and over until they were both shaking and exhausted.

Though her thoughts were getting hazy with lust and need, she could still feel him through the bond and sent through it her desperation for him to bury himself inside of her, her aching need to feel that hard velvety flesh pounding into her, stretching her, and pleasuring her to her heart's content. "Please Broly… _please_… I need you now, beloved. No more _**teasing**_," she whined.

"Say it, beloved. I want to hear it from your lips," he ordered gruffly, sucking of her neck to leave a visible mark. At that point he was all male, all beast, and he wanted to claim his female right then… but first, he wanted her to say the words that every Saiyan warrior needed to hear. Pulling back and simply watching her with those dark green eyes, he pulled out of her just a bit and began a series of slow, shallow thrusts, never giving her any more of his length than he already had.

Broly was pleased with his own self-control as she muttered something in Althean that he didn't quite make out, and especially when she moaned his name loudly and he felt her tighten around him slightly, the sensation heralding her impending climax. "Not yet, beloved. Say it for me… and then you can have all you want." He chuckled when she whispered something again in her native tongue and he shifted closer, spreading his legs for balance as he slid his hand between them and gripped her clit, slowly rubbing along the sides of it. His purr grew louder and his tail thrashed in excitement when Mina began to shake, her head rolling back and forth, her lips parted as tiny whimpers erupted from her pretty little throat. "Say it…" He crooned, trying not to snicker at her frustration.

"YOURS! I'M YOURS!"

His hips immediately snapped forward as he buried himself to the hilt and he groaned deeply as he felt her walls squeezing him. Not willing to finish before his mate, he rested there for a moment, completely amazed at how close he was to literally blowing it so soon.

Then she shifted a little and his eyes rolled back with pleasure before he withdrew and thrust forward just hard enough to make her yell, his fingers sliding inwards a little to directly stroke her nub. "That's it, Minako… you're mine," he purred as he leaned forward to nibble at her mark.

"Yours," she replied breathlessly, followed by another soft cry as he moved once more. He didn't let up this time, though, and began to steadily move inside of her, pushing her closer and closer towards rapture.

Broly lost total control the moment he felt her squeezing around him tightly and her moans escalated to one loud shriek, her back bowing as she stiffened in his arms and came harder than ever. He was right there with her at the brink, gasping and thrusting as her body milked everything he had to give and then some.

Mina went with him when his knees gave out and she collapsed on top of him in a sweaty, flushed, and very overwhelmed heap, neither of them able to speak for over five minutes as they simply tried not to pass out from the exertion.

"Wow," Broly finally whispered.

"Yeah," Mina replied with a little yawn. "It's official."

"Hmm?"

"I'm in love with Super Saiyan sex," she purred happily.

"Give me an hour and I think I'll be able to give you some more," Broly chuckled in response. "But for now… we both need a nap."

"Totally agreed, honey."

##################################

"I thought you said Usagi was going to sing tonight, Goku? What's she doing up there fighting?"

The youngest of Bardock's spawn merely shrugged a little and smiled at his oldest friend. "I expect she's nervous. Vegeta's likely helping her forget about it for a while. It's seems to be the Saiyan way of doing things," he chuckled, his hand going behind his head. "If you're feeling any type of intense emotion, you're expected to go beat the shit out of something or someone."

"Like Mom?" Gohan asked suddenly. He'd been quiet up until that point, silently taking in the sight of his father's home planet with eyes as big as saucers.

"Yeah, Chi-Chi's like an honorary Saiyan," Krillin agreed. "Her and that frying pan…"

"Don't forget the sword," Goku reminded him. "She's been getting a hell of a lot better with it." He looked over when he felt Bardock arrive and his father's ki flared slightly to get his attention. _Yeah? _He asked in Ki.

Bardock merely grinned and pointed up at the two royals going at it so hard that their motions were becoming blurry as they picked up the speed. Kakarot returned the facial expression and nodded; he was more than willing to go two on two.

The people Goku had brought with him gawked as the tall Saiyan disappeared and rematerialized behind Vegeta, sending the prince rocketing towards the ground with a ham-sized fist to the kidneys, while Usagi got the same treatment from Bardock.

The prince and princess stopped their falls just in time to slowly turn in tandem and glare up at the father and son with a pair of identical growls. "Not cool, Kakarot!" Usagi yelled at him.

"All's fair in love and sparring," Kakarot purred as he ascended.

Bardock did the same when Vegeta and Usagi yelled and powered up to Super Saiyan and came flying at them, the silver-haired Legendary taking on Bardock as Vegeta headed straight for Kakarot… and his fist sought out his face.

The spectators on the ground all just gawked at the spar that was rising higher into the air and out over the city, while Gohan—being the only one that could truly keep up with them besides Piccolo—gave them a play by play and laughed at some of the stuff he heard his grandfather and aunt yelling at each other.

To those two it was merely training, but to Kakarot and Vegeta it was getting a little serious and neither of them bothered with banter as they continued to exchange blows well after Usagi had conceded her part of the match to Bardock.

"TIME!" Bardock finally yelled, followed by a flicker of honest to goodness surprise on his face when the two actually listened and stopped. "You boys ok?" He asked in concern. "We don't need to take this to the ring or anything… do we?"

"Nah," Goku replied nonchalantly, "when Vegeta and I spar it's always that intense."

"What… he said," Vegeta panted, hands on his knees as he fought for air. He only managed a grunt of wordless thanks when his mate filled him with her ki to help him out, but he was better in a few moments. "Both of us being alpha males doesn't help, either," he added once he could breathe.

"Huh… but Father's…?"

"You're his brat," Vegeta explained with a huff. "Did you go see your mate, Kakarot?"

"Yup." Goku grinned a little and rubbed at the back of his head. "You were right; I'm feeling an awful lot better. "Chi-Chi's more than a little sore, though," he admitted with a blush.

"And who are all those people?" Bardock asked, squinting down at the ground.

"Gohan wanted to come along, and so did some of the others. I didn't see what harm it could do," he replied nonchalantly. But the moment he was on the ground, he felt a hand jerking him back around and he stared into a pair of pissed off silver eyes.

"They were curious about the pyres, I take it?" Usagi snapped. When Kakarot shrugged a little and nodded, Usagi shoved at him in anger. "The deaths of our warriors aren't some tourist attraction, Kakarot! This is a sacred matter! We've lost twenty-five warriors so far and we'll likely lose a few more to the wounds they took in battle! This is a very serious thing, and the families of the fallen won't appreciate a bunch of outsiders looking on while they grieve!"

"Wow… um… Usagi?" Krillin barely managed, trembling nervously the moment those pale eyes landed on him. "We didn't mean it that way, really. We were curious, yes… but we all also thought that we'd pay our respects to those that died defending all of you. See… Goku's our family, and in some bizarre way, Vegeta is, too. And we're all grateful to those that defended long enough to give Goku and Vegeta a chance to finish the battle."

"Ye gods… this one's balls are even bigger than that huge, bald head," Bardock said with a warm smile. Well… as warm as it got when it wasn't directed at Mako, anyway.

"Let them stay."

All eyes were on Vegeta, blinking in surprise as it dawned on them all that he was the one who'd spoken. "Baldy's right; Kakarot is family to all of them, and that's what the pyres are about. Family. I'm sure they'll all keep quiet and be respectful of the dead."

"I'll keep them in line," Piccolo offered grimly.

"You won't have to," Tien informed him. "We all know how to behave at a funeral, damn it."

"Speaking of family," Goku interrupted, "I brought you something, Usa. My Earth family won't be the only aliens here tonight."

Usagi blinked at that and looked around the taller Saiyan as Tien and Piccolo moved aside to reveal one very short Saiyan male and an even shorter round-headed female who was carrying what looked like a pale Saiyan brat. "TAR-TAR!" She squealed, immediately leaping into her little brother's arms.

"Hey!" Tarble greeted her excitedly. "The fact that you never call aside, I missed you, Usa."

"I'm _sorry_," she groaned. "With everything that's been happening and all the training, I've honestly been forgetting to just pick up the scouter and give you a ring."

"She won't forget anymore," Vegeta interjected seriously. "Remember, Usa… family first. Right?" He asked, pointing to the spot on his armor that rested over his sunburst tattoo.

"You're right, Geta. I'm sorry if I've forgotten that lately," she sighed. With that, she took her niece from Gure and purred to her gently. "You look just like your Uncle Gee-Gee," she teased the baby. "Right down to the scowl."

"She does," Vegeta agreed with a chuckle. "Damnable hair fringe and all."

The baby grinned and laughed at the sound of her uncle's voice, and everyone chuckled at the sight; the scowl and hair were Vegeta's, but that laugh and smile were one hundred percent Usagi's. "What a pretty little Saiyan princess," Usagi cooed, her purr rumbling happily as the baby's tail looped around her wrist in complete trust. "We should introduce you to your cousin, huh? What's her name, anyway?"

"We named her Risu… sort of after you," Tarble snickered.

"Squirrel? Seriously!?" Usagi cackled. "Well, now I guess we'll both be a couple of royal rodents."

"We knew you'd like it," Gure giggled musically.

Usagi kissed them both and nodded; she did like it. Very much so, and she was deeply honored that they'd named the baby after her in some fashion. "Have you seen Father, yet?" When Tarble shook his head and blushed a little, she pointed towards the sparring ring. "He's over there, and I know he'd be ecstatic to see you all. You should see him with Veggie; you'd think he was some doting old woman and not the king of the greatest warrior race in the universe."

Leading them towards the ring, Usagi shot her mate a little smile. _You had Kakarot send for them, didn't you?_

Vegeta merely shrugged a little, his tail snagging her thigh to draw her closer to his side as they walked. _It sounds ludicrous coming from me, woman, but you're getting a little too obsessed with training. And don't deny it; I've been listening in on your thoughts since the fight. I have to give you credit, though… you're hiding your inner beast's rage a hell of a lot better than I've ever done. No one else can tell but me. _

_ Imagine how Rei must feel, too, _Usagi whispered in his mind. _And Reiko. The Altheans and the Saiyans are both their peoples as well. That's why I'm so mad. I'm being forced to choose one over the other when the only thing I've __**ever **__wanted for myself is to know my father's people. Now we'll have to destroy them, most likely. _

_ I'm sorry, beloved, _Vegeta sighed, leaning over a little to nuzzle her mark through her tank top. _We'll find a way to make it all right. _

#########################

King Vegeta actually took a punch to the face the moment his youngest brat came into view, he was so surprised to see him.

"Dear gods, Majesty!" Turles snorted. "Well, now I know how to distract your ass in a fight! Usa! Come heal your father's broken nose!" He chuckled.

"Got anything that'll heal my pride?" The king deadpanned, grunting at the discomfort of having his nose set as Usagi pushed it back into place.

"Yup."

"And what's that, daughter?"

Usagi grinned up at him and winked. "Dodge."

"Har. Har. Har. I'll try and remember that," he grumbled goodnaturedly. "Now…" King Vegeta eyed his youngest brat and slowly shook his head. "Boy?"

"Father," Tarble replied with a little blush. "It's good to see you… even if your nose does look like hell."

The king laughed at that and crossed the ring to yank his son into his arms tightly and ruffle his hair. "Ye gods… you're so _short_! And you were the one I'd had pegged to grow up as tall as me!"

"Nope. Shorter than Vegeta," Tarble chuckled. "Father, I'd like to introduce you to my mate, Gure… and our daughter, Risu."

The king stared for a long moment at the little round-headed alien before getting over his shock and giving her a deep nod of respect. "Daughter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Father," Gure chirruped, reaching up to hand him her daughter, who was giggling and reaching for the old man.

The king immediately took her and smiled when she tugged on his beard and wrapped her tail around his wrist. "Risu… heh, I like it. Now we have a squirrel and a rabbit for princesses." Vegeta opened his mouth to add something to that, but Risu's hand on his sore nose stopped him and he flinched in reaction. "Come on, brat, that uncomfortable."

The baby responded by opening her mouth and emitting a soft, long note, followed by another that was a little higher, and her hands began to glow around the injury.

"Holy… beloved, did you teach her that already!?" Tarble asked in surprise.

"No… I haven't," Gure replied, stepping closer to watch the scene more closely. "Risu's still several years away from beginning that type of training."

"Let me guess," the crown prince chuckled, "she's already walking and speaking a few words?" Vegeta grinned when his sister-in-law bobbed her head. "It's her Saiyan genes, sister. She'll do things an awful lot faster than the children of your people. Just like my son; he's a little younger than Risu, but he's already trying to walk. He's already figured out how to levitate a little with his ki."

"Looks like we have a prodigy, though," Usagi chuckled as the baby continued to sing and the king merely stood there in shock. "I didn't figure out how to heal until I was like, three. Then again… I'm sure Risu has seen Gure and the others do it a few times."

King Vegeta looked down at the little princess when the glow faded and his nose felt normal again, and was met with a wide, happy grin. But that grin quickly faded and it looked like she was going to cry when he only continued to gawk. "Oh," he said quickly. "Good job, girl. It's all better." He quickly kissed her brow, and the happy grin was back as she giggled and kissed his nose in return. "Heh… you're too cute, sunshine. I think I'm in 'that word' with you."

"Paw Paw!"

All heads turned as a little lavender-haired Saiyan baby tried to leap out of Rei's arms, but the firestarter had a tight grip on the kid as he flared his ki and growled up at her before renewing his struggles. "Ah! Cut it out!" Rei yelled when his tail hit her in the face.

"Wan' Paw Paw!" Veggie yelled stubbornly.

"Fine!" Rei snapped, setting the baby down in the middle of the ring, who immediately floated into the air to stare at his cousin.

"MY Paw Paw."

"Don't start, boy! I've got two arms! Here, see!?" The king snorted, scooping his grandson up to rest on his other shoulder. "There, all better. Ugh… I swear I'm getting soft in my old age. Come on, brats. Boys, I'm stealing your spawn to get them ready for the pyres. I suggest you all do the same… unless you'd like to use the respite to spend some time with your mates."

"I know I'll be using it," Rei snorted as she snagged Turles by the collar of his armor and tugged him behind her towards the palace.

"Yes, beloved," Turles laughed, playfully slapping her ass with his tail.

############################

"You sure you don't want to take Father up on his offer?" Vegeta purred in Usagi's ear. "Yesterday wasn't quite enough to satisfy me."

"Hell, I'm still sore from yesterday," she giggled as she stripped and stepped into the shower. "But I wouldn't mind some company, beloved."

Vegeta was totally on it and shed his clothing with Saiyan speed as he joined her and immediately pressed her against the shower wall to kiss her with every ounce of need that he felt for her. He marveled at how he felt like a horny sixteen year old every time he took her; no matter how many times he'd had her since they'd first pair-bonded in the time chamber, he still couldn't seem to get his fill of her.

The coupling was quick, but it was what both of them needed; Vegeta was inside of her the moment he sensed that she was ready for him, and he was taking her slowly and gently despite the fact that he'd ascended at some point during the small amount of foreplay. "Mine?" He whispered in her ear.

"Mmm… yours," Usagi replied, her purr rising up to match the way his was hitching and stuttering in a seductive pattern meant only for her. "Love you, Geta," she breathed in his ear before trailing her lips to his mark and biting down.

"Dear gods, woman… you're so fucking sexy when you say that," he groaned, returning her bite with his own, moaning into her shoulder as her body immediately reacted and squeezed his cock tightly while she cried out in ecstasy. Vegeta couldn't help but join her in nirvana; they didn't have a lot of time before sundown, and frankly, the simultaneous biting had pushed him straight into orgasm. _Hm, we'll have to try that again later, _he purred in her mind.

_Most definitely, _she sighed happily. "Now," she added aloud as he carefully lowered her onto her trembling legs, "wash my hair, Geta."

"Yes, beloved," he replied, chuckling as he reflected on how he sounded an awful lot like Turles had only an hour ago. "Are you going to wash mine?"

"Of course… and maybe some other very important parts of you… if you behave."

#######################

"You'll do fine," Vegeta whispered in the ear of his trembling mate as they approached the pyres. Right then they were unlit, the bodies upon them resting peacefully in the fading sunlight. But soon they would be engulfed in flames, the sparks rising into the air as their spirits returned to the gods. "Stop worrying, woman."

"I'm trying not to," Usagi replied in hushed tones. "But a singing for one or two warriors would be one thing… and this… this is a lot bigger."

Sure enough, there were thousands of Saiyans massing for this funeral, so many of them that they stretched out down alleys and streets as far as any of them could see. "If you get nervous, just close your eyes and pretend that you're alone. It's sure to be quiet enough for that, beloved," Vegeta assured her, kissing her brow as he led her up to their Father, who was waiting grimly at the top of a set of newly built stairs that would wind up as ashes before dawn.

"I'd feel better in my armor, too," Usagi admitted to both of them.

"Hush, girl. You look stunning in a dress, and I'm sure many will appreciate the fact that you're dressed up for this," King Vegeta rumbled.

"Did I have to wear a crown?" She whispered fretfully.

"It's not a crown." Vegeta smirked and sighed, he knew his mate was complaining only because she was so nervous. "It's a tiara. And it belongs on the brow of the future queen of Vegeta-sai."

Usagi would have bitched about how they didn't have to wear one, but she already knew that only the females in the royal family wore such finery; the males simply wore the royal insignia on their armor, and only the king wore the royal medallion.

She looked out and spotted everyone she knew standing close to the dais as they all waited for sundown; Kakarot had brought his mate along later in the day, and they stood quietly with their son next to Raditz, Bulma, Turles and Rei. Bardock stood behind them alone, having refused to bring Mako back to a place she hated so much, but he was cradling Kale in the crook of one of his huge arms. Broly had a tight hold on Minako as he sidled into place with Paragus, Reiko, and Hiroto, who were speaking quietly with Ami and Nappa. Even Kakarot's friends were close by, staying respectfully silent as they waited patiently for whatever it was they did or didn't expect to happen. Tarble, Gure and Trunks were climbing up to join them, each of the males carrying a baby in their arms, but the lavender-haired young man stopped when Vegeta growled at him a little for carrying Veggie.

"Fah," the baby said seriously as he reached for the crown prince, who took him immediately, prepared to snarl another warning until he caught sight of the royal insignia on Trunks's armor. "Someone please explain to me what in the hell he's doing with—"

"Shut up, boy," the king snorted, elbowing him in the side. "He's a prince of Vegeta-sai, same as _**your brat**_."

"He—wha-?" Vegeta blinked at Trunks in sheer disbelief as everyone within earshot tried not to laugh at the dawning recognition on his face.

"Father," Trunks said soberly as he took his place beside the king, his cape swishing behind him. "Grandfather. Mother," he added with a tiny smile towards Usagi and a gentlemanly tip of his head.

"Way to reveal it to him where he can't yell without disrespecting the dead," Usagi mumbled, still trying not to burst out into peals of laughter.

"I thought it would be best this way," the king replied mischievously, knowing that his future grandson was laughing his ass off in his own mind. The twitch in his eyebrow gave it away, the same way it always did with his sire. "Now stop treating the boy like an enemy, son. He's the same as Veggie, only all grown up."

"We'll talk later," Vegeta snorted at Trunks, grateful as hell that he could pull that Saiyan wooden mask at will. He needed it right then; behind the mask he was sputtering and reeling from the news that 'future boy' was really his own flesh and blood.

_It was obvious if you bothered to pay attention, love, _Usagi whispered gently in his mind, trying even there not to laugh at him. _If you forget about the hair, he's the spitting image of his father._

_ Ugh… later. Not right now, _Vegeta muttered.

His mate merely nodded as she twined her tail around his waist to squeeze him affectionately before she looked out at the crowd one more.

The sight of everyone she knew and cared about relaxed her quite a bit as she remembered her mate's words and watched the sun blink out just below the horizon. _Family_. This was about family. Now that, she could sing to.

The barely noticeable murmuring of the enormous crowd immediately silenced as Usagi opened her mouth and the first note floated through the air, trembling slightly just as she was. But after the first few bars of the wordless dirge, she seemed to relax a little. It was over in a couple minutes as the royal family proceeded down the steps and out into the crowd, and as she transitioned to a second song in Saiyan, family members of the fallen stepped forward to light the pyre with small balls of their kis.

Other than a thirty second break to take a long drink of something for her throat, Usagi continued to sing even when the fire got a little out of hand and Rei, Hiroto and Reiko stepped forward to control it while Mina calmed the wind to keep it from spreading to the buildings circling the main square.

"It's ok," Bulma whispered to Raditz on occasion whenever he'd tremble and she'd feel his terror of the flames and the scent of the burning bodies. When the fire got a little out of hand, she tugged on the back of Kakarot's and Turles's armor and they nodded as they drew closer to their older brother, signaling Bardock. Their father came up from behind, and they all watched Raditz visibly relax a little as his family hemmed him in tightly, Chi-Chi joining Bulma as Gohan climbed up into his scarred uncle's arms.

"We won't let the fire get you, Uncle Radu," Gohan assured him gently. "It'll have to come through us first, and we're the strongest family on the planet. It'll take more than a little fire to get through us." The kid smiled as he felt several people patting him on the shoulder and the back at once, and he grinned when the king gave them all the ki signal they'd been waiting for.

Bardock and Goku both erupted into flames of gold at that point, along with Broly and all of the royal family except for Tarble, and a loud battle cry went up from the endless throng of warriors crowding the area.

"**REVENGE!**" Someone close to the royals cried out, and before anyone could silence that single voice, the word had been taken up as a chant by thousands of Saiyan warriors.

"Father? Grandfather?" Trunks asked with a hint of nerves as he watched his mother swallow and shake her head as she continued to sing despite the fact that the chant was drowning her out.

"It's enough, Usagi," the king whispered in her ear. "You know as well as I that they've taken up a new song. We'll let it go, and hopefully everyone will have calmed down a little in the morning."

"Yes, Father," she sighed; she wasn't upset that the mourning songs had been interrupted. In fact, she was grateful that she wasn't in spotlight anymore. But she was immensely worried about what this rising anger among her people would mean for the other half of her blood; a cry like this could only mean that the Saiyans were going to war… whether the crown approved of it or not.

**Ah, finally. The Muse has struck again for History! I have a lot in mind for the next one, but please be patient while I try to finish up Attrition and Unprofessional Relations, since those two are FAR closer to being done than this story. Think of this as the Odyssey or the Iliad… it just keeps going and going… I think I'll end it at the end of the Cell Saga, though, lol. Btw… does ANYONE know if there's a limit to chapters in a story?**


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